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"Before  the  dawn,  obscured  from  sight, 
The  restless  sea  awaited  light 
And  turn  of  tides." 


t 


Ecce          Signum 


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Mind 


An  matter  i»  but  surf  lines,  blown. 


The  Knickerbocker  Press 


"Before  the  dawn,  obscured  from  sight. 
The  restless  sea  await** 
And  turn  of      , 


t 


Ecce  Signutn 


Surf    Lines 

that  Mark  where  Waves  of  Thought 

Formed  Crest  and  Broke 

upon  the  Shore 

of  a 

Wayfarer's 

Mind 


All  matter  I*  but  surf  lines,  blown. 


The  Knickerbocker  Press 


COPYRIGHT,  191  a 

BY 
THE  KNICKERBOCKER  PRESS 


«bc  ImickcrtMChcT  PCCM.  «ew  Vorfc 


PS 


Diastole 

Before  the  dawn,  obscured  from  sight 

The  restless  sea  awaited  light 
And  turn  of  tides,  that  endless  roll 
Against  earth's  shores,  from  pole  to  pole. 
When  lo !  a  glow  and  golden  gleam 
From  orient  o'er  the  sea  did  stream ; 
A  freshening  breeze  the  mists  dispelled 
As  toward  the  shore  the  waters  swelled, 

And  light  of  day  had  vanquished  night. 


Along  the  beach  now  might  be  traced — 
By  countless  lines  yet  uneffaced — 
The  course  of  waves  to  sight  defined 
By  great  and  small  they  left  behind. 
From  driftwood,  the  debris  did  range 
To  fragments  curious  and  strange — 
Fit  emblems  all  of  what  we  find 
Lodged  here  and  there  within  the  mind 
When  quest  is  by  clear  view  replaced. 


S01547 


Systole 

As  Surf  Lines  I  began  to  sketch, 
Lo !  myriad  lines  in  endless  stretch 
Bewildered  sight  and  tempted  on, 
Each  craving  place  ere  I  was  done. 
Reality  to  reach,  none  needs 
To  mark  where  every  wave  recedes. 
Reality  's  the  core  of  things 
Of  which  the  surf  forever  sings. 
Sufficient 't  is  some  lines  to  etch. 


Surf  is  the  outer  show  alone 

Proclaiming  Motion's  Presence — known 
As  Mind,  or  God,  or  just  as  Love. 
Reflecting  Love,  as  all  above, 
So  shall  our  souls  be  saved  from  strife— 
Our  neighbor  blest  be  by  our  life. 
No  public  service  we  can  do 
Speeds  on  the  Good  like  living  true. 
*  *  * 

All  Matter  is  but  surf  lines  blown ! 


"My  aspiration  mounts 
With  yearning  toward  some  philosophic  song 
Of  Truth  that  cherishes  our  daily  life. " 


Surf  Xines 


The  time  is  out  of  joint !    O  spite ! 

That  ever  I  was  moved  to  write ! 
With  Church,  pure  reason  's  in  disgrace, 
Mere  understanding  seeks  her  place. 
The  higher  critic  has  no  doubt 
'T  is  time  antiquity  to  flout. 
The  priest  who  'd  win  the  layman's  thanks 
Must  fight  in  the  agnostic  ranks, 

Where  blindness  proves  old  days  were  night  1 


Now  gloating  o'er  "  Mistakes  of  Moses," 

Men  boldly  follow  their  own  noses. 
Mistakes  about  Moses  int'rest  few — 
Few  care  to  seek  what  Moses  knew. 
With  thought's  vast  world  turned  upside  down, 
Thought  "  radical,"  becomes  thought's  crown! 
To  hostile  eyes  Religion's  roots 
Discredit  all  Religion's  fruits. 

That  Moses  had  sense  no  one  supposes! 


Surf  Xines 


The  world  is  making  progress  now, 
No  one  cares  where — but  anyhow ! 
All  progress  toward  Religion's  aim 
Is  out  of  favor — takes  the  blame. 
If  men  can  go  a  million  ways, 
They  joy  in  their  confusion's  daze. 
To  move  without  a  common  end 
Is  modern  plan  the  world  to  mend. 
Dissension  makes  a  lovely  row! 


Authority  is  now  below  par, 

"  Do  as  you  please,  "  man's  guiding  star. 

Then  make  all  others  please  you,  too ; 

Just  force  on  them  your  point  of  view. 

If  child  go  wrong,  lot  him  alone ; 

JT  is  parent's  fault,  "  Ethics  "  has  shown. 

No  child  e'er  needs  reform,  of  course, 

But  toward  parent  may  use  force, 
And  constant  keep  home-life  ajar. 


Ethics,  as  taught  in  Sunday  School, 

Is  based  upon  the  Golden  Rule 
That  you  should  unto  others  do 
As  you  would  have  them  do  to  you. 
What 's  taught  now  under  Ethics'  name 
Shows  how  we  are  to  shift  the  blame 
When  we  ourselves  hap  to  go  wrong, — 
Responsibility  pass  along  1 

With  ethics  now  ourselves  we  fool. 
4 


Surt  Xines 


Pure  ethics  turns  on  one  word,  Ought; 

But  what  "  I  ought  "  by  few  is  sought. 
The  conjugation  used  each  day 
Is,  thou,  he,  she  and  you  and  they. 
The  scheme  's  to  work  the  other  man, 
And  get  from  him  all  that  one  can. 
If  "  You  Ought,"  he  throws  back  at  us, 
We  need  but  make  an  ugly  fuss 

And  leave  him  in  his  own  toils  caught. 


Both  priest  and  lawyer  who  advise 
A  course  of  conduct  just  and  wise, 
Are  quickly  shown  they  're  doing  harm 
To  law's  respect  and  Church's  charm. 
Pelf  does  not  ask  what 's  right  to  do, 
But  wants  things  fixed  'twixt  me  and  you. 
It  counts  as  lost  each  hateful  day 
In  which  it  fails  to  have  its  way ; 
It  only  wants  the  method  nice. 

8 

Society  supplants  the  Church; 

Out  of  the  swim,  you  're  in  the  lurch. 
'T  was  goodness,  standing  gave  of  old, 
Now  standing  's  fixed  by  bags  of  gold; 
And  fashion  has  so  set  the  pace 
That  thousands  perish  in  the  race. 
The  common-wealth  is  not  the  goal 
For  which  the  statesman  stakes  his  soul, 

Time-serving  casts  o'er  all  its  smirch. 
5 


Surf  OUnea 


The  country's  wealth  is  a  fixed  fact. 

Let  country's  laws,  forsooth,  enact 
How  thousands  (or  a  single  one !) 
May  own  what  is  produced  by  Sun. 
The  wealth  is  here,  whose'er  it  is, 
Law  minds  not  men  but  business. 
If  millions  have  no  chance,  O  Joy! 
Some  Croesus  may  give  them  employ, 

Though  soul  and  body  should  be  racked. 

10 

The  man  who  fills  his  pocket  fast, 
Now  claims  to  make  his  country  last. 
(By  last,  of  course,  he  means  endure — 
In  history's  light  this  is  not  sure !) 
Ten  men  may  make  our  average  show 
Far  greater  wealth  than  all  lands  know. 
A  tramp  may  on  "  our  "  riches  stand 
As  one  in  such  thrice-favored  land. 
How  sophistry  a  spell  doth  cast! 

ii 

The  Common-wealth,  Wealth  little  heeds — 
Wealth  has  enough  to  meet  its  needs. 
Just  government  consults  the  poor, 
Doth  punish  crime,  drive  wolf  from  door. 
Peru  gave  State,  helped  private  work, 
Permitting  none  fit  toil  to  shirk. 
The  poor,  light-hearted,  are  content 
When  they  can  pay  for  food  and  rent. 
Despair  breeds  mobs  and  hideous  deeds. 
6 


12 

Oft  those  in  actual  life  who  fail, 
Console  themselves  with  notion  stale, 
That  worth  of  thought  they  hide  within 
Which,  if  but  known,  for  them  would  win 
Respect  of  all  superior  souls. 
Deluded  thus,  they  miss  the  goals 
Which  else  they  really  might  reach. 
One  lesson  plainly  life  doth  teach: 
Apart  from  deeds  no  thoughts  avail. 

13 

Man  's  but  the  series  of  his  acts, 
Nor  envy  can  deny  the  facts 

When  by  high  deeds,  high  place  is  won. 

To  ascribe  low  motives  to  what 's  done 

Is  envy's  course  toward  men  above. 

Vain  effort !    There  's  no  power  but  love 

Can  fortune's  favors  equalize. 

Love  bids  us  dif 'rences  recognize ; 
Love  widens  lif e ;  hate  lif e  contracts. 

14 

Some  men,  who  wealth  accumulate, 
Are  patriots  now.    In  a  just  State, 
That  drew  the  line  where  one  and  all 
Excess  of  wealth  their  own  could  call; 
Who  chose  to  work  beyond  that  mark 
To  common-wealth  would  have  to  hark. 
Assyrian  kings  monop'ly  did  hold 
O'er  all  men  made  or  bought  or  sold. 
Isaiah  foretold  that  empire's  fate. 
7 


Surf  Xtnes 
15 

Some  will  no  creed  but  "  Harmony  " 

And  "  Peace,  good  will  'mong  men  "  to  see. 

Religion,  marriage,  public  laws, 

They  find,  however,  full  of  flaws. 

Should  their  good  will  to  self  inspire 

The  wish  to  play  with  lawless  fire, 

They  '11  trample  on  ideals  great, 

On  which  are  founded  home  and  State, 
And  mock  at  faith  and  decency. 

16 

The  difference  'tween  man  and  beast, 
In  things  held  worth,  grows  less  and  least. 
Now,  man  but  reasons  and  he  thinks 
In  riddles  that  outvie  the  Sphinx. 
From  test  of  truth  by  how  it  works, 
Self-willed  and  reckless  grown,  he  shirks, 
"  Of  conscience,  duty,  let 's  naught  hear, 
Life's  problems  let  us  drown  in  beer — 
Strike  up  the  dance,  on  with  the  feast!" 

17 

Our  senses  only  tell  us  What, 

To  Whence?  and  How?  they  answer  not. 

Sense  prompts  to  thought,  but  tempts  us  thence, 

Benumbing  mind  to  evidence. 

Vain  pleasure's  cup  is  oft  adored 

More  than  the  Cup  of  our  dear  Lord ; 

The  prodigal's  husks,  more  than  the  Bread 

Bestowed  by  Holy  Church's  Head. 
Release  from  care  's  in  revel  sought. 
8 


Surf  OUnes 
18 

Life  's  perfect  when  a  man  feels  good, 

It  Js  empty  in  another  mood. 
True !  effort  all  life  better  makes, 
But  think  the  trouble  that  it  takes ! 
The  thoughtless  way  the  millions  go 
Is  good  enough  for  some  we  know. 
They  calculate  that  in  the  lump 
They  '11  lighter  feel  the  final  bump ! 

(All  know  this  who  in  crowds  have  stood.) 

19 

"  To  know  the  doctrine,  lead  the  life," 
Was  Jesus'  "  Way  "  to  settle  strife. 

Few  care  now,  how  a  man  may  walk, 

We  're  interested  more  in  talk. 

Would  that  these  "  Surf  Lines,"  traced  in  ink, 

Might  faithful  "  walkers  "  help  to  think 

Enough  to  keep  their  footing  fast, 

While  facing  each  vehement  blast 
Of  doubt  with  which  the  air  is  rife. 

20 

Recall  how  very  intricate 

Deep  thought  must  be  to  average  pate. 

What  at  first  sight  he  can't  see  through 

He  knocks  out  with  a  flying  blow. 

The  greatest  thoughts  of  greatest  minds 

With  scorn  he  scatters  to  the  winds. 

Deciding  what  no  man  can  know, 

He  puts  himself  in  posture  low, 
On  Doubt  with  gusto  to  dilate. 
9 


Surf  lines 

21 

Like  hungry  man  who  '11  not  lift  hand 
His  bread  to  take,  should  we  demand 
Of  life  and  death,  the  mystery, 
Without  deep  thinking,  clear  to  see? 
In  such  a  case  hunger  is  not, 
Or  satisfaction  would  be  sought. 
Inaction  here  would  be  absurd 
Ere  we  had  gained  or  creed  or  curd, 
By  sort  of  effort  wisely  planned. 

22 

What  man  will  not,  he  cannot  know; 

If  set  'gainst  Yes,  he  Jll  will  but  No ; 
Forever  pleased  just  to  rehearse 
His  ignorance  of  the  universe. 
Poor  fly !    Combating  all  the  world, 
To  his  own  ruin  he  is  hurled. 
De-struction  grown  his  happiness 
He  wants  no  more,  will  take  no  less, 

While  passive  he  just  waits  below. 

23 

Whoever  really  starts  to  think 
Soon  finds  himself  upon  the  brink 
Of  understanding's  wrestling  ground, 
Where  dialectic's  toils  abound. 
In  peril  here  of  mental  fog, 
And  slippery  footing  hi  thought's  bog, 
Naught  can  to  light  and  safety  bring 
But  swift  recourse  to  Reason's  wing 
To  bear  him  o'er  before  he  sink. 
10 


Surf  Xlnes 
24 

A  man  of  understanding  's  good; 

But  be  it  clearly  understood, 
That  what  "  stands  under  "  is  not  all 
That  within  scope  of  mind  doth  fall. 
Mind  can't  stop  short  with  what  eye  sees, 
It  transcends  matter  with  ideas. 
Material  forms  serve  obvious  ends 
Each  one  of  which  on  mind  depends, 

None  tracing  birth  to  matter  crude. 

25 

Who  reads  these  lines,  soon  will  have  found 
Much  that 's  on  understanding's  ground — 
The  ground  of  dialectic  skill 
That  all  reverses  at  its  will. 
The  Bible  says  not,  "  Let 's  explain," 
But  "  Let  us  reason  " ;  for  't  is  plain 
That  but  in  Reason  man's  power  lies 
To  rise  from  earth  and  reach  the  skies. 
Reason  itself  doth  not  confound. 

26 

'T  is  Dialectic's  twist  and  crook 
That  make  it  hard  to  read  a  book. 
Whate'er  is  writ,  e'en  though  most  fit, 
At  once  suggests  its  opposite. 
He  who  a  book's  thought  would  command, 
Must  first  read  just  to  understand ; 
The  second  time  he  glances  through, 
He 's  qualified  t'  express  his  view. 
Book's  heart 's  not  won  by  casual  look, 
ii 


Surf  Xtnes 
27 

By  reason  or  unreason,  man 

Inevitably  lives.    None  can, 
But  'tween  the  two,  or  ever  find 
A  choice  of  action  for  his  mind. 
By  reason  all  is  unified ; 
Unreason  order  e'er  denied. 
All  art  and  ethics  rest  on  grounds 
Of  reason,  which  for  aye  confounds 

Unreason's  gropings,  void  of  plan. 

28 

Reason  and  conscience-guided  will 
O'er  sense  and  feeling  are  rated,  still. 

Opinion  floats  in  the  unknown; 

Sound  logic  only  holds  the  throne. 

Skilled  reason  views  an  ordered  world ; 

Opinion  is  in  chaos  whirled. 

Oft  understanding  ends  in  doubt, 

'T  is  reason  points  the  sole  way  out, 
And  thus  doth  life  with  meaning  fill. 

29 

Not  algebra  is  more  abstract 
To  unused  mind,  yet  all  is  fact. 
To  follow  Reason  thus  is  hard ; 
She  wins,  not  less,  but  more  regard 
Because  she  solid  builds  so  high 
Beyond  the  reach  of  common  eye. 
Yet  all  her  powers  we  find  innate 
Within  e'en  minds  outside  the  gate 
That  leads  to  realms  of  thought  exact. 

12 


Surf  Xfnes 
30 

Who  ever  thought  a  "  possible," 

Thought  an  abstraction,  just  "  thought-full." 

It  was  an  empty  Notion,  sheer, 

Wherein  no  substance  did  appear. 

Who  would  explain  the  world  of  sense, 

Yet  banish  metaphysic  thence, 

Himself  involves  in  theories 

Abstract  as  any  he  decries  — 
Abstractions  of  ne-science,  null. 


Each  science  must  come  to  a  place 
Where  understanding  cannot  trace 
A  further  step.    Here,  it  assumes 
Whate'er  it  needs,  and  then  presumes, 
Just  where  pure  reason  'gins  to  act, 
To  call  "  Irrational  "  the  fact 
Of  "  Quantity  "  with  which  itldeals. 
It,  seemingly,  nor  knows  nor  feels 
What  thus  it  does  to  save  its  face  ! 

32 

For  just  where  understanding  ends, 
'T  is  reason,  not  unreason,  blends 
With  observation;  whence  arise 
The  thoughts  that  lift  man  to  the  skies; 
While  understanding  waits  on  ground 
That  common  to  the  beast  is  found  — 
The  ground,  that  is,  of  "  common  sense." 
JT  is  reason,  pure,  gives  evidence 
Of  what  religion,  pure,  defends. 
13 


Surf  Xines 

33 

Agnosticism  holds  this  creed : — 

There  's  naught  beyond  our  sight  to  heed. 

We  know  we  're  born,  we  know  we  die, 

But  none  can  ever  tell  us  why. 

To  work  or  play,  while  we  have  breath, 

Must  fill  the  gap  'tween  birth  and  death. 

To  accept  e'en  life's  inanities, 

Rather  than  'mid  infinities 
To  run  amuck,  wins  wisdom's  meed !  " 

34 

True  Gnostics  humbly  seek,  to  find ; 
Th'  Agnostic  's  sure  he  knows  his  mind ! 

The  Gnostic  feels  emotion  high, 

Agnostics  know  but  motion  dry. 

The  Gnostic  knows  God  should  be  sought, 

Agnostics  know  God  likely  's  not. 

The  two  agree  they  something  know, 

Agnostics  know  what  is  n't  so. 
The  one  tastes  fruit,  the  other,  rind. 

35 

When  man  opines  he  cannot  know 

That  anything  is  really  "  so," 

He  's  caught  in  understandings'  toils, 

And  all  misunderstanding's  broils. 

We  're  free  to  drift  on  thus  "  below," 

But  why  feel  proud  that  we  don't  know, 

Since  reason  is  at  hand  to  teach 

How  we  may  grasp  what 's  beyond  reach? 

There  's  naught  that  reason  cannot  show  I 


Surt  Xtnes 
36 

To  start  each  generation  right, 
It  must  begin  close  to  the  height 
Of  all  attained  by  its  forbears, 
With  many  toils  and  many  cares. 
Else  man  through  many  a  long  age 
Had  but  retrod  thought's  earliest  stage. 
Whate'er  is  latent  in  mankind 
By  education  's  brought  to  mind 
As  starting  point  for  higher  flight. 

37 

The  records  of  philosophy 
Show  steady  progress,  lasting,  free. 
One  school  another  would  refute, 
Yet  none  another  can  confute. 
Each  takes  its  course  to  reach  its  goal, 
Philosophy  includes  the  whole. 
Through  conflict  of  polarities 
Philosophy  mounts  to  the  skies. 
All  serve,  e'en  when  they  disagree ! 

38 

Philosophy  leads  us  to  know 
And  see  in  things  mere  outer  show. 
They,  changing  hourly,  clearly  bid 
Us  look  for  Being  inward  hid. 
Existence  presents  but  the  outside 
Of  Essence  that  within  doth  bide. 
Appearance,  though,  is  no  defect, 
Since,  through  it,  Being  we  detect, 
And  thus  in  grasp  of  truth  may  grow. 
15 


Surt  Xlnes 

39 

Most  men  are  sure  that  all  is  real 

In  what  we  see  or  touch  or  feel. 
Before  this  Real,  each  hour  doth  show, 
Man's  body  is  as  weak  as  tow. 
This  Real,  though  solid  it  may  seem, 
Thought  proves  is  fleeting  as  a  dream. 
Mind  's  found  great  truths  in  dreams  of  night 
And  untruths  great  in  dreams  of  light; 

That  "  matter  "  's  naught,  thought  doth  reveal. 

40 

God's  world,  as  pictured  to  our  eyes, 

H.  Spencer  cut  up  jig-saw-wise. 
Like-shape  and  size  in  graded  row 
He  thought  must  show  how  all  did  grow  ; 
Yet,  nearest  thing  to  man  's  the  ant  — 
They  came  by  different  lines  all  grant. 
What  he  made  out  was  not  the  Thing 
That  lives  and  soars  on  hidden  wing  — 

Man's  life  transcends  what  meets  his  eyes. 


Our  eye  makes  all  the  light  we  see  ; 

Wherever  dark  appears  to  be, 
Darkness  but  shows  that  something  's  nigh, 
Too  dense  to  penetrate  with  eye. 
With  glass  we  may  light  magnify 
'Til  light  's  too  coarse  to  let  us  spy. 
Each  sense  such  limits  doth  disclose, 
That  bound  all  man  through  senses  knows. 

Not  sense,  but  reason,  sets  thought  free. 
16 


Surf  3Line8 

42 

The  mind  of  man  conceives  his  world 
As  through  th'  abyss  of  space  't  is  hurled 
What  each  man  thinks,  to  him  is  true, 
*T  is  so  with  me,  and  so  with  you. 
The  wise  man  only  doth  agree 
To  what  men,  plainly,  all  might  see. 
Might  all  men  think  twice  two  make  four, 
The  wise  man  questions  that  no  more — 
Thus  wisdom's  standard  is  unfurled. 

43 

Man's  high  distinction  lies  in  thought, 
Thought  orders  all  from  God  to  naught. 

Thought  takes  her  start  from  things  of  sense, 

To  rise  on  reason's  evidence. 

Unless  we  snap  the  sensuous  chain, 

Thought  spreads  her  wings  for  flight,  in  vain. 

Once  fetter  thought  the  very  least 

And  man  can  sink  below  the  beast, 
Which  may  "  just  know  "  what  man  's  long  sought  I 

44 

The  rise  of  thought  from  things  of  sense, 

Its  leap  to  plane  of  super-sense ; 
Thought's  passage  to  the  infinite, 
Out  from  the  realm  of  things  finite — 
Thus  snapping  chains  of  sense  as  naught — 
All  this  is  thought,  and  naught  but  thought. 
Who  says  this  step  thought  may  not  take, 
Would  thus  an  end  of  thinking  make — 

Beasts  lack  religion's  evidence. 

a  17 


Surf  Xines 

45 

No  beast  can  men  of  science  ape 
In  knowledge  vast,  that  sets  agape ; 
But  as  to  God  and  soul,  beasts'  view 
Is  high  as  that  of  learned  few. 
Proverbial 't  is,  extremes  do  meet, 
And  modern  science  achieves  this  feat. 
He  surely  shows  thought  most  profound 
Who  burrows,  mole-like,  underground, 
While  simple  souls  thought's  skies  still  scrape ! 

46 

From  animal  to  man,  we  see 

Man  rise  but  when,  as  thinker,  he 
Thinks  God  and  soul,  immortal,  free, 
'Neath  law,  that  safeguards  liberty. 
Such  thoughts  no  beast  can  ever  have — 
It  goes  as  beast  from  birth  to  grave. 
But  babes  may  feel  what  reason  knows 
Though  in  man's  thought  it  slowly  grows — 

Man's  sonship  with  the  Deity. 

47 

Some  insects  live  that  counterfeit 
The  shape  of  twigs  whereon  they  sit. 
They  have  evolved  that  strange  disguise 
To  hide  themselves  from  hungry  eyes. 
'T  is  but  their  flight  that  doth  reveal 
The  conscious  life  that  they  conceal. 
Can  matter's  laws  the  source  disclose 
Of  Mind  such  wondrous  cunning  shows? 
Such  miracles  surpass  man's  wit ! 
18 


Surf 

48 

Materialists  profess  to  observe, 
Record  exactly,  and  preserve 

Just  what  in  matter  they  may  find ; 

But,  observation  rousing  mind, 

A  metaphysic  they  create, 

Confused  by  contradictions  great. 

What  they  opine  of  How?  and  Whence? 

Misunderstanding  makes  more  dense ; 
Hence  their  opinions  constant  swerve. 

49 

Hear  Spencer's  test  of  truth  in  full : 

"  Its  opposite  's  unthinkable." 
Shall  mindless  matter  mind  evolve 
To  evaporate  at  each  revolve 
Of  matter's  shell,  in  constant  flux, 
That  ne'er  to  aught  that  lasts  conducts? 
Does  that  to  common  sense  appeal 
As  it  could  source  of  mind  reveal — 

Can  reason  think  that  reasonable? 

So 

Black  Topsy  seed  of  science  sowed ; 
"  She  was  not  born,  she  only  growed." 

Thus,  evolution,  all  call  "  so," 

Of  involution,  few  will  know. 

But  logic  shows  there  's  naught  evolved 

Without,  perforce,  something  's  involved. 

All  that 's  evolved  but  outward  shows 

How  involution  onward  goes. 
All  is  involved  by  "  Word  "  of  God. 
19 


Surf  Xines 
51 

Perpetual  motion  idiots  seek, 
And  their  inventions  all  prove  weak ; 
But,  stretch  their  thought  up  to  the  skies, 
And  science  bids  their  dream  arise ! 
Why  then  should  science  idiots  scorn, 
In  whom  the  selfsame  thought  is  born? 
(If  wetness  mark  the  entire  sea, 
Why  should  it  not  in  each  drop  be?) 
Of  motion's  Mover,  mind  doth  speak. 

52 

Some  Mover,  as  subject,  mind  must  find, 
From  whom  to  abstract,  within  our  mind, 

The  thought  of  motion,  as  predicate 

And  attribute  of  Someone  great. 

To  make  the  world-clock  constant  go, 

Someone  must  wind  the  spring,  we  know. 

Thus  evolution  demands  an  Evolver  1 

Perpetual  motion  is  no  solver 
Of  motion's  problems  of  any  kind. 

53 

A  row  of  rogues  will  each  point  thumb 

At  other,  to  show  where  blame  should  come. 

Science  views  worlds  like  children's  blocks, 

Each  moves  because  another  knocks. 

Who  sets  worlds  up,  wills  them  to  fall, 

Our  science  can't  discuss  at  all. 

The  mites  in  cheese  may  find  a  plate — 

But  on  a  cow  can't  speculate. 
Who  can't  say  "  God,"  may  be  born  dumb  I 
20 


Surf  Xtnes 

54 

In  things  mind  builds  by  motion's  "  laws," 
The  conscious  mind  may  motion  cause 
In  such  wise,  that  things  seem  self -moved 
If  outward  source  to  sight 's  not  proved. 
No  motion  can  show  traits  of  mind 
Unless  mind,  somewhere,  is  behind. 
All  mind  is  cause,  is  positive ; 
Effect,  mud,  matter,  negative. 
Right  use  of  words,  right  thinking  shows. 

55 

All  gravity  is  negative, 

Mere  absence  of  a  positive. 
If  glass  is  dashed  upon  the  floor, 
There  's  gravity  plus  something  more. 
Whene'er  an  object  fails  to  sink 
Tow'rd  nadir,  we're  compelled  to  think 
It  free  from  force  of  vortex-whirl 
(Which  doth  inert  things  "  downward  "  hurl), 

Because  of  something  that  doth  live ! 

56 

Lo !  gravitation  men  suspend 

In  lifting  hand  to  shake  with  friend. 

Will  masters  gravitation  where 

Man  wills  to  lift  or  move  a  chair. 

The  thought  of  motion  is  abstract — 

Some  Mover's  attribute  or  act. 

Man's  work  is  clear,  in  terms  of  mind, 

The  same  of  God's  work,  thought  doth  find. 
In  God  alone  thought  finds  an  end. 
21 


Surf  Xtnes 

57 

Who  flies  the  sky  's  on  solid  ground 
Compared  with  what 's  in  matter  found. 

What  latest  science  here  reveals 

Is  whirling  vortex  'neath  our  heels. 

Who  shrinks  from  all  that  this  implies 

Should  not  presume  to  philosophize, 

To  "  whence  "  and  "  why  "  should  shut  his  mind, 

And  eat  and  drink  and  just  be  kind — 
A  plane  of  life  not  high,  but  sound. 

58 

Hear  now  plain  Understanding's  (?)  creed : 

In  the  beginning  did  proceed 
A  lot  of  electrons,  bound  to  make 
A  Universe.    Now  it  did  take 
One  hundred  thousand  to  make  an  atom 
(By  estimate  have  we  got  at  'em). 
One  trillion  atoms  per  grain  of  dust 
Then  formed  the  dust,  in  which  we  trust — 

To  which  we  turn  in  mortal  need. 

59 

Soon  gravity  and  wind  were  there, 

And  with  this  dust  it  thus  did  fare : 
Whole  lots  caught  on,  formed  nebula  I 
The  wind  did  blow  and  then — tra  la ! 
They  round  and  round  were  briskly  whirled, 
And  from  each  whirl  there  grew  a  world. 
Since  moving  dust  involved  much  friction 
(Here  science  fears  no  contradiction), 

We  next  scent  mind-stuff  in  the  air. 

22 


Surf  Xines 
60 

Electrons  devised  the  telegraph, 

Geometry,  the  phonograph. 
They  worked  it  by  a  simple  plan, 
Made  atoms  first,  then  mind-stuff,  man. 
When  man  was  made,  the  trick  was  done ; 
Electrons  watched  to  see  the  fun, 
While  mind  of  man  performed  the  work 
From  which  electron's  pride  did  shirk. 

On  man  electrons  have  the  laugh ! 

61 

There  's  more  to  tell,  but  why  relate 
Each  single  step  to  present  state? 

Suffice  to  say  that  with  such  facts, 

That  give  to  Science  her  shining  axe, 

She  has  cut  off  the  hoary  head 

Of  all  Religion— left  it  dead 

As  door-nail!    Now,  realities 

Replace  all  Reason's  frailties, 
And  thought  is  free  to  divagate ! 

62 

When  Intellect  invents  a  "  law  " 
It  hastes  to  secure  it  'gainst  a  flaw. 
Exceptions  to  each  law,  at  end, 
Force  Intellect  lower  to  descend 
In  search  of  final  law  of  All 
Among  things  smaller  than  the  small. 
When  it  has  reached  last  decimal 
It  still  will  face  the  One  of  All 
Whose  Being  Instinct  ever  saw. 
23 


Surf  Xines 
63 

Once  everything  must  have  some  size 
To  pass  for  real  to  skeptic  eyes. 

Then,  no  one  could  a  sane  man  fool 

With  talk  of  things  invisible ! 

In  those  days,  all  the  "  Schoolmen's  "  noise 

Was  laughing  stock  for  our  schoolboys. 

All  Spirit  then  looked  far  too  small 

To  be  in  Matter  found  at  all. 
'T  is  Matter  now  that 's  lost  all  size. 

64 

Thus,  Matter's  molecules  suggest 
What  once  was  held  "  Dark  Ages  "  jest: 

"  Ten  thousand  souls  may  stand,  each  whole, 

On  needle's  point,  yet  every  soul 

As  much  space  have  for  its  own  motion, 

As  frog  in  middle  of  the  ocean." 

Fine  points  in  Old  Theology 

Are  matched  in  our  Biology. 
Man's  ancient  thought  is  thus  redressed. 

65 

Atoms  are  manufactured  things ; 
Their  likeness  this  conclusion  brings. 

Both  plan  and  skill  must  first  unite 

Ere  pattern  's  reproduced  aright. 

Thus,  too,  in  living  things  we  find 

That  pattern  is  renewed  by  mind. 

Subconscious,  true,  the  work  may  be, 

But  back  of  all  't  is  Mind  we  see. 
Design  from  a  Designer  springs. 
24 


Surf  Xfnes 
66 

Designs  such  as  our  great  men  form, 
All  grant  impossible  to  worm. 

But  let  God's  work  transcend  man's  wit, 

Man  's  sure  that  Mind  's  not  back  of  it. 

Man  's  now  of  all  creation  top, 

Where  man's  thought  ends,  all  Thought  doth  stop ! 

Design  is  real — man  back  of  it ; 

Not  man's  design,  't  is  counterfeit ! 
Thus,  self-conceit  doth  Heaven  storm. 

67 

Reduced  to  the  absurd,  clocks  show 

"  Survival  fit  "  mid  things  that  go; 
Chance  combinations  that  keep  time 
"  Survive  "  chance  changes,  change  of  clime; 
The  Solar  System,  greatest  clock, 
"  Survived,  "  as  "  fit,"  full  many  a  shock; 
The  debris  of  a  workman's  bench 
Proves  what  he  "made"  but  "survived"  his  wrench 

And  gravity  of  hammer  blow! 

68 

Naught  can  evolve  by  Nature's  Laws. 

Environment  may  mould,  not  cause. 
A  man,  if  he  a  clock  would  make, 
The  laws  of  stuff  must  know,  not  break. 
No  stuff  can  spring  or  wheel  evolve 
And  thus  make  hand  of  clock  revolve. 
Material  new,  a  man  may  find, 
Suggesting  timepiece  new,  to  Mind. 

But  naught 's  evolved  where  Mind  withdraws. 
25 


Surt  xtncs 
69 

Now,  Life  's  defined  as  simple  fact 

Of  tendency,  at  will,  to  act 
On  matter,  by  itself  inert. 
To  what  life  's  done,  we  must  revert 
To  gain  a  notion  of  its  powers. 
What  life  will  do,  it  is  not  ours 
To  forecast;  since  the  forms  life  hath, 
Evolving,  strewn  along  its  path, 

To  some  degree  of  choice  are  tracked. 

70 

"  One  trillion  atoms,  per  grain  of  dust,"  — 
Believe  this,  we  recall,  we  must. 

"  One  hundred  thousand  electrons  come 
Within  the  bounds  of  one  atom." 
These  make  the  sole  reality 
Disclosed  by  science  to  mind's  eye  I 
"  Man  's  born  to  quickly  pass  away  — 
Electrons  live  eternally  !  " 
In  these  doth  science  put  her  trust. 


Thus  science  magnifies  God's  clothes, 
But  naught  of  Him  who  wears  them  knows. 
Man  will  not  to  electrons  bow, 
Although  they  make  his  body  now. 
Electrons  we  're  as  far  above 
As  we  're  below  the  God  of  Love. 
Electrons  never  could  give  rise 
To  aught  that  not  within  them  lies  ; 
That  man  's  God-born,  all  reason  shows. 
26 


Surf  Xines 

72 

The  power  of  his  electrons'  mass, 

Man  may  upon  each  organ  pass. 
Such  work  no  miracle  doth  show, 
But  simply  what  a  man  may  know. 
Knowledge  is  power  in  things  of  wealth, 
And  no  less  so  hi  things  of  health. 
Mind,  weights  may  use,  to  tip  a  scale ; 
Thus  drugs  oft  act — yet  often  fail. 

Mind  only  lasts,  "  All  flesh  is  grass." 

73 

The  living  being  master  stands 
Of  body,  shifting  as  the  sands ! 

In  body,  matter  comes  to  flower 

By  virtue,  solely,  of  life's  power. 

The  instant  that  the  life  takes  wings, 

The  body  into  riot  springs. 

All  there  that  life  did  organize, 

Bereft  of  life,  asunder  flies. 
How  could  this  be,  if  cell  commands? 

74 

Mind  ever  knows  when  it  has  clothes, 
When  not,  the  fact  mind  also  knows. 
Mind  knows  when  it  has  leg  or  arm, 
It 's  harmed  not  when  they  come  to  harm. 
With  body  paralyzed  in  bed, 
We  know  mind  knows  till  body  's  dead. 
What  then  mind  knows,  no  ear  can  hear, 
For  tongue  must  be  to  speak  to  ear ; 
Though  oft,  in  death,  mind  inspired  glows  1 
27 


Surt  Xines 

75 

Mere  "  Matter  "  is  a  thing  of  straw; 

It  shows  resistance,  also  law. 
Pinned  down,  Ne-science  would  perplex 
The  mind  with  "  whirls  "  of  mere  "  vortex." 
Mind,  too,  shows  Law,  from  whence  we  take 
The  pattern  of  the  laws  we  make. 
Why  not,  for  laws  of  vortex,  find 
Same  source  as  of  our  own  laws — Mind  I 

We,  making  laws,  explain  all  Law. 

76 

One  sees  a  world  with  ravin  rife, 
Of  contradictions  full,  and  strife. 

In  matter  nowhere  can  be  found 

For  optimism  any  ground. 

Science  infers  this  world  is  hell, 

Religion  the  same  tale  doth  tell. 

This  standard  Jesus  Christ  unfurled : 

"  My  kingdom  is  not  of  this  world." 
All  matter  constant  wars  'gainst  hie. 

77 

This  Matter,  which  the  laymen  fear, 

Is  not  at  all  to  science  clear. 

Yet  Doubt,  with  such  an  unknown  thing, 
Would  on  Religion  ruin  bring. 
Some  would  in  Reason  find  the  flaw, 
The  wise  from  Matter  faith  withdraw. 
Man  walks  in  darkness,  helpless,  lone, 
When  Reason  's  banished  from  her  throne, 

And  mind  as  matter  doth  appear. 
28 


Surt  Xtnes 
78 

To  vision,  Matter  e'er  doth  fall, 
E'er  passive,  self -unmaking,  all; 
While  conscious  Life  impulse  supplies 
All  Matter  to  arrest,  forms  organize. 
The  one  diminuendo  plays, 
All  world-crescendo s  Life  displays. 
Life  only  makes  each  form  arise, 
For  downfall,  Matter's  "  laws  "  suffice. 
'T  is  conscious  Life  makes  rise,  lets  fall. 

79 

The  more  of  matter  science  knows, 

The  less  as  entity  it  shows. 

Self-moving  now  it  can't  appear — 
Shows  naught  in  which  self  can  inhere. 
With  matter  moved  but  from  without, 
Materialism  is  shut  out. 
Throughout  all  space  no  substance  lies 
Save  God,  all-present  and  all-wise. 

This  doctrine  outlives  all  its  foes. 

80 

Some  of  no  greater  God  will  tell 
Than  just  a  god  within  each  cell. 
It  takes  of  these  a  pantheon 
A  man  to  make — a  single  one ! 
Such  "  Science  "  One  God  multiplies 
To  swarms  of  gods  of  tiny  size. 
This  simple  plan  to  make  man  great, 
Takes  gods  as  units,  man  as  State — 
Fit  concept  this,  man's  head  to  swell ! 
29 


Surt  Xinee 

81 

Much  scientific  talk  'bout  cell 

Is  pseudo  metaphysical. 
That  through  all  matter  motion  goes 
Is  primer-truth  to  one  who  knows. 
Who  says  that  matter's  motion  's  cause 
May,  by  such  view  of  "  matter's  laws," 
Achieve  surmise  of  subtle  wit 
That  flesh  evolves  the  life  in  it ! 

Life's  &e]f-involved,  doth  reason  tell. 

82 

For  matter  's  matter,  motion  's  motion, 
In  earth,  air,  fire,  in  man,  in  ocean. 
From  matter  motion  ne'er  arose, 
It  matter  moves  howe'er  it  goes. 
It  matter  drives  like  leaves  in  gale, 
Or  squeezes  it  'til  it  turns  pale ! 
When  motion  once  lets  go  its  hold — 
Good-bye  to  matter,  its  tale  is  told ! 
For  motion  's  substance ;  matter  's  Notion. 

83 

Since  Matter's  shell  can't  make  its  laws, 
'T  is  Mind  must  stand  for  final  Cause. 
Mere  "  Matter  "  ne'er  could  evolve  Mind 
As  freakish  puffs  of  vagrant  wind. 
The  wind  itself,  as  Motion,  goes 
And  comes,  but  whence,  God  only  knows  I 
And  so  we  're  taught  in  Holy  Writ, 
Breath  is  the  Spirit's  symbol  fit. 
As  conscious  Motion,  Mind  is  Cause. 
30 


Surf  Xtnes 
84 

As  swan  that  floats  on  placid  lake 

His  snowy  reflex  seen  may  take 
E'en  for  a  spirit  hovering  nigh, 
With  curving  neck  and  melting  eye, — 
Yet  in  his  own  breast's  rise  and  fall, 
Alone  feel  Breath  of  Life  of  All ; 
So  man,  'mid  Nature's  loveliness, 
May  feel  his  inmost  heart  confess 

His  Presence  Who  all  worlds  doth  make. 

85 

Breath  makes  the  breast  to  rise  and  fall, 
Breath  swells  sea  waves,  both  great  and  small. 
There  's  no  emotion  we  can  know 
But  doth  some  equal  motion  show. 
The  sea  is  endless  in  its  motion, 
The  soul  is  endless  in  emotion. 
Emotion-Motion  bi-une  flow, 
And  keep  the  starry  spheres  aglow. 
('T  is  this  that  music  speaks  to  all.) 

86 

Dost  science  fear?    Be  of  good  cheer ! 
E'en  Spencer  came  the  truth  quite  near 

When  he  did  clearly  motion  find 

Identified  in  all  with  mind. 

He  only  lacked  the  prefix  E, 

Emotion  prompting  all,  to  see. 

When  old,  he  said,  "  In  beating  air 

I  've  spent  my  lif e !  "    And  thus  did  fare 
His  books  with  this  philosopher. 


Surf  Xines 

87 

A  man  of  purpose  works  by  plan, 
Plan  through  all  worlds  is  seen  by  man. 
With  man  the  purpose  to  create 
Precedes  all  work  he  doth  instate. 
Emotion  to  create  must  rise 
Before  all  motion  in  the  skies. 
Man  works  not  first,  then  feels  inclined 
To  do  what,  after,  comes  to  mind- 
Emotion,  motion  'fore,  e'er  ran. 

88 

We  see  in  plant-development, 

Unfolding  of  a  thought-content. 
Though  Form  expand  until  it  burst, 
The  Notion  was  complete  at  first. 
In  tiniest  germ  implicit  lies 
What,  last,  explicit  meets  the  eyes. 
That  germs  hold  all,  like  box  in  box, 
Plain  common  sense  completely  shocks ! 

From  Plan  all  things  trace  their  descent. 

89 

We  see  man's  face  and  "  sense  "  his  soul, 
Combine  the  two  and  know  him  whole. 

Who  's  wise,  thus  views  the  universe; 

From  what  he  feels,  its  soul  infers. 

One  tells  us  what  of  God  he  can ; 

Who  hears,  learns  something — of  that  man! 

The  noble  soul,  God's  world  inspires, 

While  others  see  but  flames  and  fires 
Through  wastes  of  space  inanely  roll. 
32 


Surf  Xines 
90 

The  world  is  not  an  empty  show  — 
"  The  Real  is  Here,"  by  it  we  know. 
Idealists  prize  matter's  shell 
Though  form  and  content  (they  know  well) 
Are  different  more  than  pulp  and  rind. 
A  Presence,  shown,  is  to  the  mind 
Assurance  of  an  inner  Fact 
That  far  off  seems,  in  the  abstract  — 
As  one,  both  pulp  and  rind  we  know. 


Matter  is  something  that  has  shape  ; 

What  that  thing  is,  must  eye  escape. 
The  atom,  with  its  twofold  force, 
Mere  working  theory  is,  of  course. 
From  it  did  science  ever  shirk, 
Yet  keeps  it  to  perform  its  work. 
Attraction  can't  be  understood, 
No  more,  Repulsion  ever  could. 

Both,  metaphysics  bad,  thin  drape. 

92 

Sense  feels  a  world  so  dense  in  all, 
No  chink  is  left  where  God  can  crawl. 

God  thus  shut  out,  men  us  perplex, 

By  changing  Matter  to  Vortex 
.Of  motion  swift,  that  comes  and  goes 

(What  's  moved  by  motion,  no  one  knows  1). 

Ne-science  holds  Belief  in  naught 

More  rational  than  Faith  in  aught 
That  we,  or  God  or  Spirit,  call. 
3  33 


Surt  %tnes 

93 

Some  think  what  to  the  senses  shows, 

Is  all  that  isy  all  that  one  knows. 
Who  *s  rich  in  that  goes  empty  away 
'Mid  husks  to  hunger  all  his  day. 
Earth's  "  show  "  makes  wise  and  simple  feel 
A  Presence  near,  to  which  they  kneel. 
Far  better  't  were  to  adore  the  Sun, 
Than  not  feel  Soul  and  Sun  at  one, 

When  sunrise  through  our  being  glows ! 

94 

Some  men  there  are  who  idly  pass 
Their  verdicts,  positive,  alas! 

On  all  in  heaven  or  on  earth, 

And  self  assured,  fix  its  worth. 

How  glorious  it  must  feel  to  be 

So  sapient,  wise,  superior,  free ! 

Yet,  strange  to  say,  one  never  can 

Find  in  the  lot  one  happy  man — 
They  all  feel  blue,  and — feed  on  grass! 

95 

Nebuchadnezzar,  king  of  old, 
From  pride,  himself  a  god  did  hold ; 
This  bearded  king,  with  curly  locks, 
Was  sent  to  graze,  a  common  ox. 
Who  pins  his  faith  to  things  of  sense, 
Ignoring  reason's  evidence, 
Must  needs  on  slender  diet  fare, — 
On  husks  and  clay  and  empty  air. 
Science  for  soul  hath  little  told. 
34 


Surt  lines 

96 

Like  Midas  doomed  to  feed  on  gold, 
Proud  science  now  grows  very  bold. 
Huge  heaps  of  facts  are  duly  stored 
Which  miser  science  now  doth  hoard. 
"  O  Chemist  great!  my  loved  one  's  dead!  " 
"  Ah  so !    Then  best,  the  least  that 's  said ! 
Your  education  's  just  begun; 
The  spectrum  shows  what 's  in  the  sun ; 
In  time  your  love  will  sure  turn  cold." 

97 

This  world  exists.     Perhaps  it 's  true 

That  God'  s  as  great  as  I  or  you. 
Expanded  huge  before  our  thought, 
Or  microscopically  sought, 
The  question  is  not  of  God's  size, 
But  how  we  size  up  in  His  eyes? 
The  world  is  here  and  we  are  in  it, 
We  can't  escape  from  God  one  minute — 

We  may  rejoice  or  we  may  rue  I 

98 

To  Carnegie,  steel  armored  knight, 

By  music  God  is  brought  to  light. 
Bob  Ingersoll  in  "  Shakespeare  "  felt 
A  god  'fore  whom  his  fancy  knelt. 
In  atoms  alone  doth  Edison  find 
Eternal  Omnipresent  Mind. 
Great  specialists  but  seldom  rise 
'Bove  glints  of  truth  that  catch  their  eyes 

From  lower  plane  than  Reason's  height. 


Surf  Xines 

99 

Huge  aggregates  of  physic  lore 
May  dwarf  our  very  thinking  power, 

Until  the  mind  but  weakly  acts 

In  passing  on  material  facts. 

Collectors  in  the  fine  arts  ne'er 

Creative  artist's  viewpoint  share. 

The  world  that  each  man's  mind  supplies, 

Defines  the  world  before  his  eyes; 
Prejudging  thus,  he  seeks  no  more. 

100 

A  dog  takes  note  of  babe  and  doll, 

In  babe  scents  life  not  seen  at  all. 
The  babe  that  sees  an  auto-car 
May  think  it  moves  by  its  own  power. 
The  man  who  sees  an  auto  move, 
Knows,  mind  and  will  its  motions  prove. 
Some  would  trace  mind  to  "  groups  "  of  cells 
Where  crowned  Impermanancy  dwells — 

Who  can  such  guesses,  thinking  call ! 

101 

Once  on  a  time,  to  reach  high  fruit, 

Giraffes  evolved  a  neck  to  suit. 
With  telescope  man  's  swept  the  sky 
In  hope  to  find  God  with  the  eye. 
Foiled  there,  with  microscope  he  's  sought, 
And  found,  within,  as  Christ  once  taught, 
A  place  where  God,  concealed,  doth  bide. 
There  Huxley  saw  HIS  HAND  divide 

And  mould  the  cells,  creation's  root  I 
36 


Surf  Xines 

102 

All  creatures  that  in  cell  do  dwell 
Two  things  do  share,  we  now  know  well- 
Material  forms  and  consciousness, 
Or  inner  self  and  outer  dress. 
They  feed,  which  shows  their  bodies  fade 
And  every  minute  are  remade. 
Each  self  survives  this  change  of  dress 
Without  a  change  in  consciousness. 
(Of  man  a  different  tale  some  tell!) 

103 

The  teeming  lif e  in  cell  doth  show 

Life  conscious  moving  to  and  fro, 
Aye  swaying  matter  at  its  will — 
Through  Matter's  flow  abiding  still. 
In  all  the  motion  and  the  strife 
What  constant  stays  is  just  the  life. 
Here  matter  a  soft  mesh  appears, 
Which  conscious  Life  employs,  not  fears. 

Life,  weaving,  makes  the  shuttle  go ! 

104 

To  conscious  lives  in  cell  of  plant 

The  microscope  doth  morals  grant; 
Here  appetite,  there  self-control, — 
E'en  altruism  plays  a  role ! 
That  thought 's  transferred  from  mind  to  mind, 
In  man,  beast,  bird,  and  fish,  we  find. 
World-Consciousness  specked  o'er  with  Matter 
Grows  clear  to  thought,  despite  all  chatter 

And  dense  materialistic  cant ! 
37 


Surt  Xines 
105 

Binot  and  Bichet  own  these  facts, 

But  fact  on  each  unlike  reacts ; 
One  sees  in  Conscious  Life  all  Cause, 
The  other,  naught  but  Matter's  "  laws." 
In  body's  changes  now  is  sought 
Escape  from  thought  of  what  man  Ought. 
"  In  seven  years'  (or  sev'n  months?)  tune 
Man's  change  of  body  wipes  out  crime !  " 

Psychol'gy  morals  thus  attacks. 

106 

Atomic  aggregate  called  John 
Once  complex  heart  of  maiden  won. 
Their  op'site  polarities  to  wed, 
A  psychologic  priest  thus  said ; — 
"  As  consciousness  doth  well  up  now, 
Wilt  thou,  John,  unto  Mary  vow 
To  be  forever  kind  and  true 
While  present  self  remaineth  you?  " 
Gray  matter  moving  "  Yes  "— 't  was  done! 

107 

That  ballet  dancer  stands  on  toe 
All  may  apprise  from  passing  show. 
That  men  of  science  stand  on  head 
And  brain-congestion  never  dread — • 
Nay,  strong  protest  and  even  frown, 
At  what  stops  seeing  up-side  down  — 
All  this  no  longer  doth  surprise : 
Man's  free  thus  to  invert  his  eyes 
If  something  queered  he  thus  may  know. 
38 


Surf  Xtnes 
1 08 

The  god  in  man  will,  if  he  can 
Get  god  in  cell  'neath  thumb  of  man. 
Somewhere,  man  must,  beyond  a  doubt, 
First  "  find  God  in  "  to  "  find  Him  out." 
"  Once  found,  we  '11  quickly  end  the  strife 
O'er  what  makes  consciousness  and  life  1  " 
(When  big,  has  conquered  little  brother, 
He  yet  may  have  to  deal  with  Father ! 
God  much  may  with  derision  scan!) 

109 

Prostrate  before  the  wondrous  cell, 

Some  wait  for  it  its  will  to  tell, 
Assured  that,  If  its  plans  we  know, 
'T  is  settled  which  way  we  shall  go. 
Toward  soul  or  cell,  what  way  we  tread, 
God  's  found  within  and  overhead. 
Let  such  as  will,  change  His  great  Name, 
And  call  Him  Cell,  His  power  's  the  same — 

In  touch  with  Hun  all  creatures  dwell. 

no 

Who  serves  the  cell  may  serve  the  devil 

(The  prison  cell  confines  the  evil). 
The  Self  of  will  is  very  small; 
The  Self  of  soul  is  One  with  All. 
Germ-life  in  cells,  disintegrates, 
The  whole  alone,  form  reinstates, 
All  good  in  cell  comes  from  above; 
All  good  to  self  proceeds  from  love. 

Aloof  from  God,  souls  hold  brief  revel  I 
39 


Surf  Xines 
in 

Through  cells  proceed  the  body's  ills, 
That,  if  unchecked,  the  body  kills. 
'Twixt  selfish  cell  and  body's  soul 
We  see  the  strife  'twixt  part  and  whole. 
This  shows  in  Body  Politic, 
Where  faction  makes  a  nation  sick. 
With  anarchs  unconfined  in  cell, 
No  government  is  truly  well. 
'T  is  order  Heaven's  first  law  fulfils. 

112 

A  doctor,  reasoning  from  the  cell, 
Takes  means  to  make  his  patient  well. 
A  priest,  thus  reasoning  from  the  soul, 
Knows  means  to  make  the  spirit  whole. 
Disease  of  body  quickly  makes 
A  man  put  faith  in  what  he  takes. 
But  if  at  heart  he  feel  dis-ease 
He  '11  take  or  naught,  or  what  he  please- 
Of  faith  or  God  he  '11  hear  none  tell. 

"3 

For  mind  diseased  no  help  at  all 
From  chemist's  potions  art  can  call. 
But  "  heal  "  and  "  holy  "  are  one  word 
And  thus  were  spoken  by  our  Lord. 
For  health  of  body  all  men  seek, 
Of  holiness  some  shame  to  speak. 
Not  that  the  thought  they  would  disdain- 
They  deem  a  life  upon  that  plane 
Unnatural,  constrained,  and  small. 
40 


Surf  Xines 
114 

True  men  of  science  know  full  well 

They  do  but  handle  matter's  shell. 
Some  hold  that  what  is  back  of  all 
Is  only  something  mean  and  small. 
Religion,  back  of  man  or  clod, 
Perceives  an  Absolute,  called  God. 
Great  theories  include  the  small, 
The  small  can't  grasp  the  great  at  all. 

Cells  ne'er  made  Man,  God  mould's  the  cell ! 

115 

God's  pressure  on  each  cell  within 
(Great  Judge  of  virtue  or  of  sin !) 

Assures,  each  hour,  the  fitting  meed 

For  each  hour's  good  or  evil  deed. 

Religion  calls  this  "  Providence  " 

(On  man's  age-long  experience 

The  doctrine  's  based).    We  have  His  Word; 

"  All 's  good  to  them  who  love  the  Lord." 
Good  men,  through  trials,  great  good  win. 

1x6 

'T  is  joy,  or  terror,  thus  to  dwell 
With  God  within  both  mind  and  cell ! 
The  Sun  that  helps  good  things  to  grow, 
Makes  rotten  things  more  quickly  go. 
The  Son  of  God  who  healing  brings 
To  all  who  turn  from  evil  things, 
Sits  in  each  soul  on  judgment  throne, 
Hearts  good,  confessing  as  his  own, 
Hearts  evil,  pitying  in  their  hell. 


Surf  Xines 
117 

I  set  my  brain  aglow  with  wine ; 

That  brain  's  not  me,  that  brain  is  mine. 
The  brain  shows  no  sufficient  cause 
For  human  reason,  human  laws. 
Materialists  hold  bedlam-views 
When  they  give  matter  power  to  choose. 
'T  is  Mind  creates,  Mind  runs  the  train, 
Or  engines,  cars,  were  all  in  vain. 

Brain  is  but  matter,  mind  's  divine ! 

118 

Doth  ether  suspend  sensitiveness — 
Not  mind  but  body  feels  helplessness. 
Dull  sense  with  nitrous  oxide  gas, 
And  thoughts  sublime  arise  and  pass 
Through  mind  and  vivid  are  retained 
When  waking  consciousness' s  regained. 
Sad !  gas  no  one  made  Spencer  take ! 
He  'd  have  avoided  his  mistake 
Of  thinking  gas  could  thought  suppress. 

119 

'T  is  I  (not  nose)  who  scent  a  rose 
Though  in  my  nose  that  sense  repose. 
I  better  think  when  I  'm  well  clad 
Than  when  by  cold  I  'm  driven  mad. 
To  work  in  matter,  mind  needs  tools 
(That  tools  can't  work  is  known  to  fools!). 
Preposterous  views  may  fascinate, 
But  Reason,  they  disintegrate — 
Sheer  paradox,  much  science  shows ! 
42 


Surf  Xtnes 

Z20 

Naught  science  sees  but  properties 
With  None  to  Whom  aught  proper  is. 
Impersonal  and  quite  improper 
Is  all  grist  ground  in  science's  hopper. 
She  grinds  life's  seeds  till  they  are  dead, 
And  then  insists  naught  real  has  fled. 
She  holds  of  world ;  "  Mind  did  n't  begin  it, 
For  mind  is  but  phenomen'ly  in  it, 
As  horologeity  in  time-piece  lies." 

121 

Man  talks  or  laughs,  sheds  tears  or  sighs, 

Each  act  a  state  of  mind  implies. 
When  "  body  acts  upon  the  mind," 
*T  was  mind  that  acted  first,  we  find. 
The  body  is  mind's  instrument, 
Impaired,  it  may  mind's  work  prevent. 
Who  's  lost  his  limbs  can't  run  a  race, 
His  mind,  though,  takes  up  no  less  space; 

The  ant  than  elephant 's  more  wise. 

122 

'T  is  science,  not  philosophy, 
In  mind  and  matter,  One  would  see. 
Beginning  thus,  when  it  is  done, 
In  matter,  science  sees  that  One. 
But  matter  is  in  constant  change 
Throughout  the  whole  creation's  range. 
Thought  finds,  as  substance,  only  mind, 
Which  can't  with  matter  be  combined. 
Thought  cannot  pantheistic  be. 
43 


Surt  Xines 
123 

True,  Kipling's  idol,  "  made  of  mud  " 
(That  "  which  they  call  the  great  god  Budd"), 
Was  all  that  Haeckel  e'er  could  find 
As  source  of  human  thought  and  mind. 
'T  were  strange  if  man  from  ape  evolved 
To  find  him  himself  to  mud  resolved  ! 
Such  pedigree  's  not  held  by  apes 
(Unless  sub  specie  jackanapes  !) 
Did  Budd  kiss  Haeckel  "  where  he  stood"? 

124 

How  ever  can  my  Why  or  Whence 

Depend  on  merest  accidents? 
I  had  a  bump,  that  bump  was  I 
'Til  something  else  had  crossed  my  sky? 
If  man  's  but  what  he  passes  through, 
What  constant  doth  the  "  I  "  renew? 
I  'm  that  which  eats,  not  merely  food 
For  Matter's  jaws!  —  that  understood, 

Through  life,  through  death  's  our  sure  defence. 


Infinite  vision  lies  in  mind 

Which  doth  in  "  matter"  something  find 
Of  finite  sort,  wherewith  to  evolve 
Forms  planned  by  mind  with  high  resolve. 
Who  puts  the  cart  before  the  horse 
Shows  things  pre-posterous  and  worse. 
The  universe  demands  a  God  ; 
Or  call  Him  so,  or  call  him  Clod— 

The  fact  's  the  same,  save  to  the  blind. 
44 


Surf  %!nes 
126 

No  brush  can  paint  an  unknown  beast; 

It  must  use  well-known  parts,  at  least. 
The  strangest  thing  that  man  can  draw, 
Combines  some  forms  once  someone  saw. 
All  visions  of  eternity 
All-Mind  has  seen,  again  shall  see. 
By  Mind,  man  flies  or  wireless  speaks, 
Thus  Mind  performs  that  which  it  seeks. 

Each  spreads  for  heaven  his  own  feast. 

127 

Whate'er  we  know,  we  know  through  Mind, 

The  rest  is  feeling  undefined. 

What  our  minds  know,  Mind  always  knew, 

Though,  ages  long,  't  was  hid  from  view. 

Our  conscious  part  is  not  the  whole 

Of  what 's  eternal  in  the  soul. 

What  circumstance  has  long  concealed 

Must  surely  one  day  be  revealed ; 

Man  needs  but  seek  and  he  shall  find. 

128 

Some  mind-stuff  in  the  nebula 
Whence  grew  all  worlds  evolved  thus  far, 
Tyndal  confessed,  there  must  have  been ; 
"  Mind-stuff,  attenuated  then, 
As  worlds  condensed,  has  shrunk  to  men, 
But  will  thin  out  to  fog  again !  " 
Mind  finds  it  reasonable  to  hold, 
As  mind  is  now,  it  was  of  old ; 
Matter  alone'  s  now  fog,  now  star, 
45 


Surf  Xines 
129 

All  science  leads  to  the  Unknown; 

Bad  reasoning  there  must  not  be  shown. 
Where  knowledge  's  weak,  but  feeling  strong, 
'T  is  safer  guide  than  reason,  wrong. 
Wrong  theories  we  may  not  feel 
E'en  though  they  harden  heart  to  steel  ; 
But  when  wrong  feeling  leads  astray 
Its  consequences  bar  the  way. 

Right  feeling  happy  makes,  alone. 

130 

When  Reason  's  let  to  intermix 

With  Feeling,  then  the  direst  tricks 
Are  played  with  Judgment,  to  the  end 
That  Self  its  conduct  may  defend. 
Each  faculty  must  act  alone, 
That  proper  balance  may  be  shown. 
Reason  can't  always  take  the  lead, 
But  must  weigh  Feeling's  every  deed 

Which  Reason's  warning  contradicts. 


My  feelings  are  my  very  own, 

The  same,  though,  of  the  beast  is  known. 

Man's  thinking  power  is  overhead  ; 

That  beasts  share  this  cannot  be  said. 

Superiority  of  soul 

Shows  feeling  under  thought's  control. 

Thus  conscience,  character,  and  will, 

Than  feeling,  mere,  are  higher  still. 
By  thinking,  man's  high  place  is  shown. 
46 


Surf 


132 


No  words  express  what  we  but  feel, 
Though  it  may  make  us,  reverent,  kneel  ! 
When  feeling  form  takes  in  a  word, 
Then  Reason,  Purpose,  may  be  heard. 
God  ne'er  created  sea  nor  sun 
Ere  God  and  His  own  Word  were  One. 
Can  man  the  slightest  work  propose 
Which  to  express  no  word  he  knows? 
The  Word  doth  Reason,  Will,  reveal. 

133 

Whoe'er  's  read  Carlyle's  "  Sartor  "  knows 

That  all  that's  visible  is  "  Clothes." 
The  truth  is  not  so  often  heard, 
That  all  that  's  seen  is  Written  Word. 
From  grass-blade  to  cathedral  vast, 
All  God  or  Man  thus  writes,  at  last 
Resolves  itself  to  word  or  letter, 
Which  some  read  worse  and  some  read  better  1 

A  town  its  Word  in  buildings  shows. 

134 

Lo  !  Egypt's  old  hieroglyphs 

The  Moslem  viewed  with  "  buts  "  and  "  ifs  " 
And  turned  away  his  eyes  with  dread  — 
Or  tapped  with  finger  his  forehead. 
To  savage  who  sees,  day  by  day, 
A  man  with  pen  mark,  mark  away, 
'T  is  one  if  pen  write  thoughts  divine, 
Or,  peradventure,  checques  doth  sign  — 

Indifferent,  his  pipe  he  whiffs  ! 
47 


Surf  Xtnes 

135 

Once  on  a  time  all  men  were  free 
To  seek  for  food  and  sleep  in  tree. 
Each  man  was  every  other's  foe, 
Forever  guarding  'gainst  a  blow. 
Each  man  must  constant  venture  life 
To  shield  his  children  and  his  wife. 
The  Church  was  born  when  common  sense 
United  men  for  their  defence 
Against  all  lawless  liberty. 

136 

The  Church  arose  when  men  craved  peace — 
From  brutal  struggle  sought  release. 
Her  priests  stood  firm  for  common  good 
'Gainst  selfishness,  that 's  hard  withstood ! 
No  priest  was  fakir  who  made  use 
Of  what  could  stop  flagrant  abuse 
Of  strong  men's  wanton  lust  and  power 
To  gratify  their  wills  each  hour; 
The  priest  made  barbarism  cease. 

137 

Religion  formed  the  family, 

The  State,  and  gave  men  liberty. 
It  strives  to  make  life  orderly 
That  men  may  dwell  in  harmony. 
Its  discipline  gives  self-command, 
Without  which  none  may  safely  stand. 
Though  priests,  as  men,  are  often  wrong, 
The  Church  eternal  stands  and  strong — 

Earth's  bulwark  against  Anarchy. 
48 


Surt  Xines 
138 

Religion  aims  to  train  the  will 

To  good  from  lawlessness  and  ill. 
Some  use  it  for  another  end ; 
At  weddings,  funerals,  they  send 
For  parson,  that  all  things  may  be 
Conducted  with  due  decency. 
Who  has  full  store  to  clothe  and  feed 
The  body,  seldom  feels  the  need 

To  try  to  mount  Religion's  hill. 

139 

11  Not  know  what  Matter  is?    Why  care? 

Enough  it  is  to  know  it  *s  there." 
Religion,  though,  they  '11  understand 
Before  they  '11  even  lift  a  hand. 
"  For  some  folk,  doubtless,  it  is  good," 
(Except  themselves,  be  't  understood). 
The  hope  of  all  humanity 
They  '11  drop  to  fight  o'er  Trinity, 

Or  anything  that 's  in  the  air. 

140 

Religion  rests  on  reason,  love, 

Naught  can  its  premises  remove. 
Its  truths  are  taught  in  sensuous  form — 
Abstractions  average  souls  can't  warm. 
Yet  average  men  it  fain  would  save — 
By  sign  and  symbol,  light  the  grave ! 
All  thoughts  of  man,  Time  hath  surpassed, 
Ideals  felt  are  seen  at  last, 

Mind  can  't  conceive  the  joys  "  above." 

4  49 


Surt  Xines 

141 

On  reason  rests  religion's  sway, 

Then  reason's  call  let  all  obey. 
Who  hallows  not  one  day  in  seven, 
When  shall  he  fill  his  soul  with  heaven? 
This  life  is  more  than  meat;  we  need 
Set  times,  and  means,  our  souls  to  feed, 
Lest  through  life's  school  we  swiftly  pass 
But,  at  life's  close  to  cry;    Alas! 

From  life's  true  end  we  've  gone  astray! 

142 

Pure  Reason  finds  a  single  "  I  " 

That  governs  all,  or  low  or  high. 
If  this  you  find  beyond  your  reach, 
Just  study  what  logicians  teach. 
A  foot-rule  's  short  to  measure  field 
That  many  a  fine  crop  may  yield. 
It  for  the  trouble  richly  pays 
To  find  just  how  this  big  world  lays  — 

What  orders  its  immensity. 


Inconstant  flesh  and  constant  "  I  " 
A  discord  make,  not  harmony. 
This  discord  is  resolved  by  death, 
Which  is  involved  in  every  breath. 
Religion  seeks  the  human  I 
To  keep  with  God's  I,  lastingly. 
The  human  I,  of  God's  I,  part, 
A  part,  it  lives,  but  dies  apart  — 
(Or  lingers  on  to  moan  and  sigh?) 
50 


Surf  Xines 

144 

Of  human  ignorance  now  we  sing; 
No  man  can  know  a  single  thing ! 

To  know  a  thing,  its  opposite 

Must  help  us  get  the  idea  right. 

Nor  can  the  two  the  conflict  mend 

Before  a  third  brings  it  to  end. 

Thus  good  and  evil  e'er  must  strive 

That  virtue  may  be  kept  alive. 
The  three  together  closely  cling. 

145 

I,  as  a  conscious,  thinking  Subject, 
Myself  survey  as  my  thought's  Object; 

Think  what  I  am  and  what  I  'd  be, 

And  hear  what  others  think  of  me. 

Conscious  of  self,  self-consciously 

I  view  myself,  objectively. 

One  Spirit,  in  my  duality 

I  am,  myself,  a  trinity. 
Thus  conscious  God  Self  must  reflect. 

146 

Mind  's  geometric,  seeks  the  laws 
That  rule  the  finite,  finds  their  cause. 
From  life  infinite  all  life  flows, 
The  same  of  consciousness,  thought  shows. 
His  mind,  man  with  Another  shares, 
That  Other  't  is  who  hears  our  prayers. 
Both  God  and  man  in  unity 
Of  Subject-Object  mind  doth  see 
In  light  of  logic  free  from  flaws. 


Suit  3lines 
147 

Self-consciousness  should  be  adored 

When  it  reveals,  in  man,  the  Lord. 
It  plainly  shows  men  to  each  other 
And  thus  explains  to  each  his  brother. 
All  that  man  has,  he  has  from  All! 
This  makes  man  great,  this  makes  him  small. 
Merely  to  think  of  self  the  first, 
Involves  one's  life  in  all  that 's  worst; 

Such  self-conceit 's  to  be  abhorred. 

148 

The  God  we  worship  's  God  so  far 
As  He  's  self-conscious.    Less  would  mar 
Our  thought  of  Hun  in  whom  we  are. 
'T  would  place  Him  from  all  men  afar, 
And  utterly  destroy  the  Notion 
Of  Man,  as  drop,  in  God,  as  ocean. 
As  salt 's  in  drops  and  salt 's  in  sea 
Self-knowledge  in  our  God  must  be. 
To  think  God  less,  doth  reason  jar. 

149 

With  Evolution,  mechanic,  we  're  done, 
Though  clergy  still  are  "  on  the  run." 

Foe's  bulwark  bulked  so  solid,  high, 

It  seemed  e'en  Heaven  to  defy. 

The  priest,  o'ercome  by  taunt  of  "  narrow," 

Felt  matched  'gainst  steel,  with  bow  and  arrow ! 

Thus  silenced,  though  in  mortal  strife, 

(His  refuge,  sole,  the  godly  life) 
Eclipsed  for  aye  seemed  Spirit's  Sun  1 
52 


Surf  Xines 
150 

When  lo,  the  specialist  arose 
Who  science  tries  by  all  that  grows. 
Soon  Evolution  shrank,  from  "  Cause," 
To  an  Involver's  apparent  "  laws." 
And  now,  too,  physic  science  sings 
Of  Conscious  Life  as  source  of  things  ; 
And  That  which  forming  impulse  gives 
To  all  that  is,  or  breathes,  or  lives. 
Once  more  the  desert  blooms  like  rose  ! 


Creation,  both  in  great  and  small, 

Shows  as  free  act,  in  one  and  all. 
All  Life  in  Matter-worlds,  we  see, 
This  freedom  shares,  in  its  degree. 
In  Matter,  which  itself  unmakes, 
Free  Life  its  purpose  undertakes. 
Thus  Conscious  Life  in  movement  flows 
Whose  inverse,  Matter  ever  shows. 

Light,  light  remains,  though  shadows  fall  I 

152 

In  "  Creative  Evolution  "  *s  told 
What  Bible  and  Bhagavad-Gita  hold; 
"  From  Conscious  Life  alone  doth  spring 

All  that  to  thought  our  senses  bring." 
No  uni-verse  lies  'fore  our  eyes  ! 
Where  thought  to  lie,  lo  !  intellect  lies, 
Which  dissects  Matter,  causing  strife 
With  Instinct,  that  deals  straight  with  life. 
Instinct  alone  doth  Life's  key  hold. 
53 


Surf  Xinea 
153 

Both  Intellect  and  Instinct  run 

Aye  parallel.    Both  from  the  One 
Life-Process  spring.    While  Sympathy 
Marks  Instinct,  Intellect  doth  spy 
In  inert  matter,  to  supply 
Set  forms  and  limits  for  mind's  eye. 
What  Intellect  seeks,  it  cannot  find ; 
What  Instinct  knows,  still  leaves  it  blind — 

This  vital  truth  's  by  Bergson  shown. 

154 

Philosophy  doth  farther  go 

Than  all  that  science  e'er  can  know. 

'Neath  Science's  symbols,  thought  conducts 
To  Matter's  world,  in  constant  flux. 
All  "  real  "  things  go,  below,  above, 
As  Conscious  Life  doth  constant  move. 
Man's  consciousness  this  reinstates 
With  God's,  from  Whom  man  emanates. 
Religion  man's  way  home  doth  show. 

155 

View  happy  throngs  in  Venice,  Rome, 

In  ages  past  or  yet  to  come. 

Each  human  moth  itself  doth  feel 
Of  all  things  seen,  most  surely  real. 
Ghosts  palpable,  we  feel  surprise 
That  we  should  dematerialize ! 
A  course  of  constant  change  we  run 
What  time  we  flicker  in  the  Sun. 

The  spirit  world  's  man's  only  home. 
54 


Surf  Xtnea 
156 

All  true  religion  is  revealed, — 
By  God  revealed  and  not  concealed. 
The  revelation  comes  through  mind 
Whose  source  we  can  but  in  God  find. 
Man  's  conscious,  and  self-conscious  too, 
And  something  's  common  to  these  two. 
Each  man  is  Subject,  Object  both ; 
In  reason,  then  we  can't  be  loth 
To  view  God  so,  till  thought 's  repealed. 

157 

God  me,  not  universe,  transcends, 
Where  He  's  not  immanent,  all  ends. 
True  God,  as  subject  is  in  me, 
As  object  Him  I  elsewhere  see. 
My  self,  as  object,  outside  lies, 
Fast  bound  to  all  that  meets  my  eyes. 
But  I  can  only  conquer  sin 
With  help  of  God  as  me  within. 
With  subject-object,  thought  'gins  and  ends. 

158 

Pure  logic,  stepwise  traced  to  end, 
With  theologic  terms  doth  blend. 

The  Universal,  truly  known, 

As  subjectivity  is  shown; 

Self-moving,  active  and  all  form 

Imposing  after  its  own  norm. 

Cognition  here  is  seen  as  Will, 

Creating  all  that  sky  doth  fill 
And  all  controlling  in  its  trend. 
55 


Surf  Xines 
159 

Mind  holds  much  that  is  termed  innate, 
Derived  from  man's  subconscious  state. 
Subconsciously  all  men  are  one 
With  God  the  Father,  through  the  Son. 
The  Son  is  Object  to  God  above — 
As  Subject,  God  is  known  as  Love. 
Each  man  is  right  himself  to  hold 
Above  all  empty  phantoms  old, 
The  God  of  Reason  only 's  great. 

1 60 

The  mind  that  was  in  Christ,  OUT  Lord, 
Must  be  in  us,  so  runs  His  Word. 
His  Kingdom  fair  within  us  lies, 
For  it  in  vain  we  sweep  the  skies. 
Who  lives  to  love  and  serve  the  Whole, 
He,  only,  peace  knows  in  his  soul. 
To  fight,  old  knights  would  venture  far ; 
Christ's  soldiers  in  their  hearts  wage  war 
With  sin  'gainst  which  themselves  they  gird. 

161 

The  Christ  in  Jesus  mediates, 

Revealing  good  that  God  creates. 
Thus  Christ,  God's  sole  begotten  Son, 
Makes  soul  of  man  with  Father  One. 
From  God  and  Christ  the  Spirit  flows 
By  which  man  God  as  Father  knows. 
The  mind  in  Jesus  knew  God's  Power 
To  uphold  man  in  every  hour 

When  earthly  hope,  fear  dissipates. 
56 


Surf  Xfnes 
162 

Christ  cometh  not  to  heal  the  well, 
Nor,  after  death,  to  save  from  hell. 
The  life  we  lead,  from  hour  to  hour, 
Is  that  where  He  may  show  his  power. 
Who  seeks  not  how  himself  should  live 
To  him  the  Church  can  little  give. 
The  Church 's  nor  club  nor  lecture  hall, 
With  music  free  to  one  and  all, 
Where  we  our  neighbour's  sins  may  tell  1 

163 

Religion  man  with  man  connects, 
And  this  world  binds  unto  the  next. 
It  gives  the  ballast  to  life's  bark 
That  helps  it,  steady,  sail  to  mark, 
Instead  of  pitching  helplessly 
'Tween  crests  and  troughs  in  passion's  sea. 
Faith's  compass  guides  our  course  aright, 
In  brightest  day  or  darkest  night, 
E'er  pointing  true  when  mind 's  perplexed. 

164 

Pure  Ethics  views  men  one  by  one, 
Shows  what  to  others  should  be  done. 
Where  Ethics  ends,  Religion  begins, 
With  selfishness  as  chief  of  sins. 
Religion  asks  that  every  soul 
Shall  die,  to  live  but  in  the  Whole. 
The  faults  of  others  will  God  repay; 
His  justice  sleeps  not,  night  or  day. 
By  self-devotion,  heaven  's  won. 
57 


Surt  Xines 
165 

Religion's  hardest  point  for  man 

Arises  from  his  wont  to  scan 

Remotest  realm  in  search  of  God, 
Who  's  close  at  hand,  not  far  abroad. 
Naught  "  beyond  Nature,"  Reason  shows, 
But  One  we  're  in,  as  God,  it  knows. 
With  eye  intent  on  Here  and  Now, 
We  find  the  One  to  whom  to  bow. 

Sound  logic  thus  forever  ran. 

166 

Whatever  Science  comes  across 

Can  only  touch  Religion's  gloss. 
The  truths  of  mind  and  soul  and  sin 
Science  can't  touch,  they  lie  within. 
Things  physical  reveal  their  "  laws  " 
But  never  their  sufficient  cause. 
Mere  Science  oft  runs  simply  mad, 
Through  reasonings  puerile,  bad, 

Despite  all  ignorant  applause. 

167 

All  Superstition  ("  overstand  ") 

Is  shunned  by  those  who  'd  "  understand." 
But  science  has  to  superpose 
On  Matter  much  that  no  one  knows. 
Sound  metaphysic  's  sore  abused 
By  theories  in  science  used. 
The  atom-theory,  at  last, 
Makes  understanding  stand  aghast. 

By  non-sense  science  doth  command  I 
58 


Surt  Xtnes 

168 

Man's  understanding  e'er  must  deal 
With  finite  things — things  that  are  "  real," 
Bound  to  the  wheel  of  constant  change 
Throughout  all  observation's  range. 
The  finite's  dialectic's  ground, 
Where  for  each  thought  an  opposite  's  found. 
Each  proposition  we  advance 
Starts  pros  and  cons  at  but  a  glance — 
That  all 's  uncertain  here,  we  feel. 

169 

Mere  understanding  can  find  out 
But  finite  principles,  without 

The  power  a  scheme  to  formulate 

Not  self-doomed  to  disintegrate. 

By  reason's  processes  alone 

Infinite  principles  are  shown, 

As  true  in  future  as  in  past, 

And  sure  to  live  while  mind  shall  last — 
Sufficient  reason  casts  out  doubt. 

170 

That  Sophists,  wilful,  becloud  light 

And  love  to  prove  that  day  is  night, 
Is  not  the  fact,  and  fails  the  point 
Where  Sophistry  is  out  of  joint. 
We  know  a  good  tree  by  its  fruits, 
The  Sophist  studies  conduct's  roots. 
Who  cares  how  his  wrong  deed  arose, 
When  of  poor  fruit  he  weary  grows? 

He  seeks  good  ends  with  all  his  might ! 
59 


Surf  Xines 
171 

A  Sophist  need  not  error  teach; 

Instead,  he  oft  great  truths  may  preach. 
His  error  *s  in  the  ground  he  takes 
When  moral  ends  he  quite  forsakes. 
Slow  witted  any  man  must  be 
Who  can't  excuse  the  worst  we  see  I 
Who  knows  the  Right  and  such  talk  hears 
Should  ope  his  eyes  and  shut  his  ears, 

And  take  himself  quite  out  of  reach. 

172 

When  Sophists  turn  their  backs  on  fruit 
And  fix  their  thought  upon  the  root; 
And  when  they  've  studied  root  and  ground 
And  for  bad  fruit  excuse  have  found ; 
They  then  demand  our  sympathy 
For  such  as  God  and  man  defy. 
They  view  the  sinner  like  a  tree, 
Whose  bad  fruit 's  a  necessity — 
Grant  man  less  wit  to  change,  than  brute  I 

173 

The  farmer  does  not  muse  on  whence 
First  sprang  the  weeds  within  his  fence. 
He  roots  them  up,  brings  them  to  naught 
And  helps  his  ground  grow  what  it  ought. 
Where'er  grain  grows  there  tares  abound, 
Desired  conditions  ne'er  are  found. 
Let  no  one  sit  and  bemoan  weeds. 
Just  cleanse  the  soul,  and  sow  fresh  seeds 
Of  righteousness  and  innocence. 
60 


Surf  OUnes 

174 

Two  authors  use  the  jester  tone, 
Both  earnest — Shaw  and  Chesterton. 
The  spirit  of  these  two,  when  caught, 
Shows  one  a  sophist,  the  other  not. 
Shaw  justifies  things  by  their  roots, 
While  Chesterton  appeals  to  fruits. 
One's  wit  doth  all  antagonize ; 
The  other,  men  would  harmonize 
And  make  the  worth  of  living  known. 

175 

In  Notion  of  Religion,  Art, 
The  thought  of  badness  hath  no  part, 
Just  as,  it  ne'er  should  be  forgotten 
To  think  an  egg,  assumes  not  "  rotten." 
Who  substitutes  bad  attributes 
For  things  themselves,  himself  refutes. 
Yet  this  trick  forms  the  common  stock 
Of  "  brilliant  minds  "  who  reverence  shock. 
Such  mind  's  more  fit  to  push  a  cart! 

176 

A  noxious  plant  is  shunned  by  beast, 
Nor  form  nor  color  tempt  the  least. 
But  men  are  often  taken  in 
By  wit  or  learning  veiling  sin. 
Great  gifts  of  mind  may  but  disguise 
The  most  destructive  sophistries. 
The  simplest  soul  that 's  true  to  Right 
Is  better  comrade,  day  and  night, 
Than  clever  minds  that  Good  resist. 
61 


Surf  OLines 
177 

Each  true  man  has  before  his  eyes 
Some  Notion  wherein  no  blemish  lies. 
He  holds  it  with  persistent  will 
Some  day  that  Notion  to  fulfil. 
The  Notions  that  have  made  man  great 
Are  God  and  Heaven,  Home  and  State, 
Learning  and  Art.    As  these  thoughts  rise, 
Not  words  but  deeds  are  his  replies. 
Who  talks,  not  tries,  his  thought  denies. 

178 

Logic  and  morals  thinkers  find, 

Not  given,  but  the  work  of  mind. 
So,  back  of  all  the  Church's  creed, 
Is  truth  of  thought  to  meet  man's  need. 
In  earliest  times  man  clearly  saw, 
Not  force,  but  reason,  gives  the  law. 
Not  private  ends,  but  public  weal, 
Dictates  the  laws  men  truly  feel. 

The  selfish  man  is  truly  blind. 

179 

Religion  marks  how  men  aspire 

When  mind  's  inspired  with  heavenly  fire. 

Beginning  with  civility, 

She  ends  with  high  philosophy. 

Trained  minds  may  in  her  doctrines  find 

High-water  marks  of  mortal  mind. 

A  little  learning  makes  men  doubt ; 

Deep  study  helps  to  find  things  out. 
Ideas  great,  great  deeds  inspire. 
62 


Surf  Xines 

180 

Good  manners,  like  good  clothes,  all  know, 
Respect  for  self  and  others  show. 
As  clothing  keeps  the  body  whole, 
Religion  thus  protects  the  soul. 
Alas !  that  many  a  goodly  tree 
Dry  rotten  at  the  heart  should  be  I 
Dry  rot  infects  man's  inward  part 
When  brain  is  fed  but  not  the  heart. 
Such  find  life  empty  here  below. 

181 

Each  individual  has  needs 

Which  social  regulation  feeds. 
A  hand  cut  off  by  any  act, 
Is  but  a  hand  in  name,  not  fact. 
The  struggles  of  a  man  cut  off, 
But  make  some  pity,  others  scoff. 
Man's  whole  significance  but  lies 
In  maintenance  of  human  ties ; 

His  highest  good  's  in  helpful  deeds. 

182 

Our  race  is  no  external  tie 
That  each  one's  bondage  doth  imply. 
What  each  one  is,  he  's,  first,  as  man; 
Then,  good  or  bad,  judged  by  the  Plan. 
The  Plan  secures  man's  liberty, 
Self-will 's  the  root  of  anarchy. 
No  drop  the  ocean  wave  can  move, 
The  wave  must  lift  the  drop  above. 
Power  lies  in  solidarity. 
63 


Surf  Xines 

183 

Each  nation  into  thought  resolves — 
'T  is  thought  round  which  its  life  revolves. 
All  Britons  must  John  Bull  obey — 
Some  willingly,  some  not,  they  say! 
Both  king  and  people  John  Bull  dread, 
Who  may  take  off  his  own  king's  head ! 
Once  lose  the  thought  that  binds  together, 
And  king  and  people  face  rough  weather. 
A  nation's  thought,  its  life  involves. 

184 

From  men,  no  man  may  live  estranged, 
Who  stands  alone  must  be  deranged. 
To  hold  one's  place  upon  the  plane 
Of  human  life,  marks  one  as  sane. 
Superior  some  well  may  be, 
But  they  must  live  in  harmony 
With  neighbors  if  they  'd  know  the  zest 
Of  life  enriched  by  all  the  rest; 
Right  ties  with  all  must  be  arranged. 

185 

The  working  of  the  human  eyes 

Is  one  of  mind's  great  mysteries. 
An  evil  mood  through  its  eyes  sees 
In  good  things,  naught  but  doth  displease. 
A  good  mood  doth  idealize 
E'en  bad  things,  seen  with  partial  eyes. 
Plain  truths,  it  seems,  eyes  cannot  tell, 
They  paint  but  either  heaven  or  hell. 

In  sight  oft  dire  illusion  lies. 
64 


Surf  Xines 
186 

Man  sees,  in  others,  foes  or  friends, 
And  there,  he  thinks  the  matter  ends. 
But  there  's  no  friend  a  man  can  bless, 
Or  enemy,  who  can  distress, 
Save  by  a  man's  own  heart's  consent. 
Who  o'er  his  heart  keeps  watch  intent, 
Will  find  therein  the  friends  or  foes 
Reflected,  seen  in  men  he  knows. 
Within,  man's  real  fight  'gins  and  ends. 

187 

Virtue  means  manhood,  power  to  fight — 
To  fight  oneself  by  day  and  night. 
One's  self-control  is  tried  each  day, 
Guard  it  we  must  as  best  we  may. 
In  self-control  true  virtue  lies, 
From  self-neglect  grave  dangers  rise. 
Who  masters  others  may  be  strong, 
But  virtue  's  not  thus  helped  along. 
The  virtuous  man  keeps  himself  right. 

188 

The  law  of  dialectic  shows 
That 't  is  by  opposites  man  knows 
The  nature  true  of  anything 
That  we  to  understanding  bring. 
The  number  and  the  kind  of  friends 
One  has,  shows  whither  his  life  tends. 
If  love  or  hatred  move  him  most — 
That  tells  if  he  is  saved  or  lost. 
What  neighbors  hold,  the  farthest  goes, 
s  65 


Surf  Xines 
189 

As  well  mark  time  by  distant  star, 

As  turn  from  man  to  God  "  afar  " 
To  prove  one's  life  and  nature  good, 
When  neighbors  find  it  vile  or  rude. 
God  's  in  the  stars,  but  more  in  men 
(Most  knowing  creatures  that  we  ken.) 
Our  high'st  appeal  thus  nearest  lies ; 
How  stands  our  life  in  neighbors'  eyes? 

'T  is  there  God  tells  us  what  we  are. 

190 

For  computations  nice,  we  know 

*T  is  best  from  clock  to  star  to  go. 
So,  too,  for  highest  things  of  all 
We  cannot  back  on  neighbors  fall. 
But  neighbors  are  good  daily  clocks — 
He  's  foolish  who  his  neighbor  shocks. 
By  neighbor's  face  our  life  to  tell 
Is  simplest  rule  for  living  well. 

From  neighbor's  smile  much  strength  doth  flow. 

191 

The  sea,  whose  motion  none  can  stop, 

Is  greater  than  a  single  drop. 
No  single  mind  can  feel  at  ease 
While  other  minds  it  doth  displease. 
The  individual  is  naught, 
The  universal  must  be  sought. 
One  plainly  reads  in  every  face 
Just  how  each  stands  in  other's  grace. 

Speak  truth  in  love,  or  let  it  drop. 
66 


Surf  Xtnes 
192 

Woe  to  the  soul  who  thinks  he  's  IT. 
He  '11  have  to  chew  a  bitter  bit ! 

He  shows  a  talent  better  hid — 

The  talent,  just  for  getting  rid. 

Gets  rid  of  God,  of  Church  and  State; 

Gets  rid  of  law,  ah !  riddance  great. 

Gets  rid  of  home,  of  lover,  friends, 

If  rid  of  self,  the  riddance  ends. 
Such  live,  at  everything  to  hit! 

193 

There  is  no  lot  or  place  in  life 

That 's  free  from  constant  room  for  strife. 
Where'er  we  are  we  ever  must 
Put  up  with  some  of  travel's  dust. 
Who  best  annoyances  can  bear 
Goes  through  each  day  most  free  from  care. 
He  only  who  is  on  his  guard 
Avoids  the  things  that  make  life  hard — 

Each  hour  with  pitfalls  deep  is  rife. 

194 

Who  sadly  doth  the  past  recall 
But  knocks  his  head  against  a  wall. 
There  's  nothing  can  the  past  reverse, 
While  knocking  head  doth  make  it  worse. 
Few  care  their  own  past  to  recall, 
The  past  of  others,  that  is  all! 
Who  '11  not  play  fair  the  game  of  life 
Involves  each  day  in  bitter  strife 
And  paves  the  way  for  his  downfall. 
67 


Surf  Xines 
195 

Home  burdens  that  one  has  to  bear 

Best  fitted  to  his  shoulders  are. 
Some  stay  at  home  as  loth  to  prove 
Things  elsewhere  which  they  know  not  of. 
Some,  who  familiar  things  misprize, 
See  strange  things  with  quite  other  eyes. 
But,  soon  or  late,  to  all  doth  come 
A  time  they  '11  think  with  tears  of  home, 

As  where  they  knew  the  least  of  care. 

196 

Who  can't,  at  home,  his  problems  face, 
Must  meet  them  in  another  place. 
At  home,  when  strife  is  in  the  air, 
Slight  illness  brings  the  tenderest  care. 
Alone,  what  stranger  ever  tends 
A  sufferer,  or  e'er  befriends 
Him,  like  his  very  kith  and  kin, 
Whose  sympathies  his  pain  doth  win? 
In  trouble,  home  's  the  only  place. 

197 

Yet  anger  often  will  hold  out 

When  common-sense  would  stop  the  bout. 

Who  finds  home-life  too  hard,  will  oft 

A  harder  life  insist  is  soft. 

Some  rather  would  cause  misery 

To  others,  than  contented  be 

'Midst  troubles  infinitely  less ; 

While  they  might  self  and  others  bless 
If  they  'd  but  smile  and  cease  to  pout. 
68 


Surf  Xines 
198 

Strange,  is  it  not,  that  while  we  live 
There  're  some  who  never  can  forgive 
Our  faults,  and  naught  beside  can  see ; 
Yet,  parted  by  death's  mystery, 
They  're  deeply  conscious  of  their  loss 
And  count  all  earthly  things  but  dross. 
They  '11  mourn  for  us  through  saddened  years, 
With  choking  sobs  and  bitter  tears ; 
To  have  us  back  the  world  they  'd  give ! 

199 

Whoe'er  is  set  in  doing  wrong 
Is  sure  to  think  that  he  is  strong. 

All  those  who  peace  and  quiet  seek, 

He  holds  contemptible  and  weak. 

The  tree  that  'fore  the  blast  can't  bend 

But  faces  an  untimely  end. 

It 's  grand  to  be  like  sturdy  oak, 

But  when  it  falls,  it  is  no  joke. 
'T  is  yielding  that  helps  life  along. 

200 

A  horse  is  strongest  in  his  speed ; 

A  mule,  in  backing,  when  we  need 
His  strength.    Men,  too,  are  obdurate ; 
Docility,  alone,  makes  great. 
Each  plays  in  life  a  needed  part, 
Some  reap  the  joy,  some  court  the  smart. 
One  in  a  salon  feels  in  place, 
The  tramp  seems  to  enjoy  disgrace 

If  he  can  only  sleep  and  feed! 
69 


Surt  Xines 
20 1 

No  man  can  strike  another  and 

Not  feel  the  blow  in  his  own  hand. 
Who  strikes  at  many  pays  the  cost, 
'T  is  his  own  hand  that 's  bruised  the  most. 
Harsh  words  that  we  to  others  say 
Make  us  grow  harsher  day  by  day. 
The  skin  that 's  ever  handling  brick 
Grows  rough  and  calloused,  harsh  and  thick. 

This  truth  's  not  hard  to  understand  I 

202 

All  evil  must  itself  destroy, 

It  cannot  rob  the  good  of  joy. 
Least  troubles  make  the  evil  fight, 
A  good  man  finds  his  troubles  light. 
He  feels  within  a  source  of  strength 
Enough  to  pull  him  through  at  length. 
He  has  a  different  aim  in  life 
Than  to  win  out  in  angry  strife. 

What  some  might  wound,  doth  him  annoy. 

203 

Intelligence  grasps  the  world  we  see, 
The  will  concerns  what  ought  to  be. 
But  will  is  weak,  abroad  to  roam 
Before  it 's  done  its  work  at  home. 
Our  virtues  others  must  admire 
Ere  we  hand  on  the  sacred  fire. 
He  who  lacks  kindness,  self-command, 
Foundation  lacks  whereon  to  stand 
And  others  show  what  they  should  be. 
70 


Surf  Xines 
204 

A  good  man  meets  all  with  a  smile, 
His  foe  must  prove  it,  if  foe  is  vile. 
Men  try  to  seem  good  in  his  eyes, 
For  few  men  goodness  quite  despise. 
Doth  sometime,  one  betray  his  trust, 
He  's  never  bitter,  only  just. 
He  knows  how  easy  't  is  to  fall 
And  so  he  loves,  or  pities,  all, 
But  ne'er  wrong-doers  doth  revile. 

205 

As  each  man's  face  reflects  his  thought 
(Or  absence  of  it,  where  thought  is  not)— 
In  nature's  panorama  vast 
We  come  to  the  "  Idea  "  at  last, 
Whose  Being  lies  in  nature,  seen 
Reflected  there  in  varied  sheen. 
In  nature,  thus,  the  Being  lies 
Of  the  Idea  veiled  to  eyes, 
But  by  reflection,  to  mind  brought. 

206 

Suppose  our  mind  in  form  of  ball 
On  whose  round  surface  there  doth  fall 
The  shadow  of  a  cube.    'T  is  clear 
The  shadow  '11  not  like  cube  appear, 
But  convex,  with  square  corners  gone. 
Let  cube,  now,  matter  be — unknown; 
Ball  stand  for  mind  by  shadow  veiled ; 
Thus  the  Eternal  Light  is  paled. 
Sense  grasps  world-shadows — that  is  all. 


Surf  3Unes 
207 

'T  is  reason  shows  God  cannot  be 
Like  cube,  or  shadow  sense  doth  see. 
But  from  the  shadow  on  the  ball, 
Our  reason  proves  Light  back  of  all. 
Nor  ball  nor  cube  like  God  is  proved, 
But  reason  thus  finds  One  who  's  loved, 
E'en  One  who,  though  concealed,  lets  fall 
A  divine  impress  on  us  all. 
Thus  reason  solves  God's  mystery. 

208 

The  man  who  naught  of  God  can  find, 
But  proves  thereby  an  untrained  mind. 
Art,  logic,  reason,  Nature's  laws, 
In  mind  alone  find  their  First  Cause. 
In  Mind  God  knows  Himself  as  God — 
The  Mind  that  was  in  Hun  who  trod 
The  patient  road  to  Calvary — 
Whose  "  brethren  "  He  called  you  and  me- 
True  God  self-conscious  in  man's  mind. 

209 

Each  finite  thing  must  come  to  naught, 
As  Object,  it 's  less  than  its  Thought. 

As  thought,  it  stands  unchangingly, 

As  Object,  it  must  pass  away. 

The  infinite  shows  harmony, 

Thought-Object,  One,  eternally. 

All  this,  both  latent  in  the  mind, 

And  all  philosophy,  we  find — 
The  Ontologic  Proof,  as  taught. 
72 


Surt  Xfnes 

210 

Than  God,  naught  greater  can  be  thought — 

Merely  a  Thought,  He  's  surely  not. 
For  He  in  thought  exists  as  Fact, 
Far  greater,  thus,  than  thought's  mere  act. 
What 's  thought  to  exceed  all  thought's  domain, 
Thought  can't  be  thought  just  to  contain  I 
In  thought,  we  God  as  Subject,  see — 
He  's  outside  thought,  Objectively. 

(Man's  body  is  outside  his  thought!) 

2IZ 

Our  God,  as  Spirit 's  veiled  from  sight, 

His  Person  is  displayed  by  light. 
His  cosmic  vestures  age  like  clothes, 
And  constant  change,  like  all  that  grows. 
(Asked  of  his  health,  once  Liszt  returned : 
"  With  old  Franz  Liszt  /  'm  not  concerned  "). 
Perpetual  motion  demands  Force 
Forever  pouring  from  One  source — 

The  Mind  of  the  great  God  of  Light. 

212 

A  Personal  God  some  stout  deny, 

But  it  's  a  puzzle  to  know  why. 
If  just  what  "  person  "  means,  we  ask, 
The  answer  simply  is,  "  a  mask." 
A  mask  may  be  of  flesh  and  bones, 
Or  cloth  or  clay,  or  stars  or  stones. 
"  Gray  matter  "  may  be  its  disguise, 
But  Being  can  show  otherwise 

Than  as  in  man,  Thought  doth  reply. 
73 


Surf  Xines 

213 

Man's  spark  of  Being  plainly  lies 

Within  his  "  person,"  seen  by  eyes. 
It  marks  intelligence  to  ask 
What  earth  and  sea  and  sky  do  mask. 
Man  Being  masks  in  tiny  form, 
But  man's  form  's  not  All-Being's  norm. 
"  Man's  form 's  too  frail  but  for  what 's  finite ! " 
"  Man's  form  tops  all;  there  's  no  Infinite!  " 

Vain  words !  since  form  but  mask  supplies ! 

214 

"  We  know  a  person  by  his  clothes." 
Thus  inorganic  matter  shows 

How  Conscious  Life  itself  may  dress 

In  humble  garb  or  splendidness. 

The  Essence  of  all  Being,  then 

May  show  in  ways  beyond  our  ken. 

To  say  that  we  who  pass  away 

Alone  Real  Being  may  display, 
No  true  philosophy  allows. 

215 

The  God  who  never  sleeps  nor  slumbers, 
Some  dreamers  fain  would  find  in  numbers. 
Man  number  derives  from  material  things 
Which  light  to  human  survey  brings, 
Dispersed  or  grouped  in  Time  and  Space. 
Here  Thought  doth  Being's  vestment  face, 
By  which  His  Person  is  revealed 
Whose  Essence  is  from  sight  concealed. 
(Man's  person  man  both  serves  and  cumbers.) 
74 


Surf  Xines 

216 

In  Thought's  abstractions  no  life  lies 
Though  abstract  thought 't  is  marks  the  "  wise." 
Who  "  God  is  Principle  "  doth  say, 
An  abstract  leaves — takes  God  away. 
It  profits  not  that  "  God  is  Love  " 
If  One  who  loves,  you  thus  remove. 
A  building  found,  a  mind  implies 
By  whom  alone  it  could  arise. 
Sound  reasoning  puts  God  in  skies. 

217      . 

Grim  Schopenhauer  shook  his  fist 
At  Hegel's  God :    "  Does  not  exist ! " 

This  shows  that  Schopenhauer's  mind 

No  God  he  liked  could  ever  find ! 

But  call  God,  "  World's  Idea-Will," 

And  his  God-cravings  you  fulfil. 

His  mind  can  prove  whate'er  he  wants — 

That  more  may  be,  he  never  grants. 
Well !  what  he  lost,  he  never  missed ! 

218 

Idealist  himself  he  thought 
But  strange  Idealism  taught. 

His  lofty  flights  led  him  to  curse 

And  will  to  end  the  Universe. 

The  Creeds  for  precious  truths  he  'd  sift 

But  cast  their  ark,  the  Church  adrift. 

Resisting  evolution  higher, 

He  fain  had  set  all  worlds  afire, 
That  Man  might  find  true  peace  in  Naught! 
75 


Surf  Xtnes 
219 

In  grand  Ideas  he  was  rich; 

His  Will  could  fling  him  in  the  ditch. 

He  kicked  his  house-maid  down  the  stairs — 

Despised  calm  Hegel  for  his  prayers. 

With  eloquence  he  was  aglow; 

His  pages  iridescent  flow. 

But  it  was  e'er  a  dreary  case 

When  he  an  abstract  path  must  trace — 

Pure  Logic  gave  him  many  a  stitch ! 

220 

'T  was  Schopenhauer  who  said  well: 

"  Christianity  has  kernel,  shell. 
If  shell  I  often  roughly  treat, 
*T  is  but  to  seek  its  kernel  sweet. 
E'en  then  "  (said  he)  "  few  men  surmise 
How  tough  and  strong  its  mere  shell  is." 
Yet  all  his  work,  as  to  devotion, 
Is  "  painted  ship  on  painted  ocean." 

Naught  of  faith's  practice  could  he  tell. 

221 

Kant's  Reason  Practical,  he  lacked ; 

Hence  he  cut  loose  from  plainest  fact. 
His  mental  glass,  held  wrong  end  to, 
Diminished  all  within  his  view. 
He  "  jumped  in  bush,  put  out  his  eyes," 
And  thus  he,  too,  "  grew  wondrous  wise." 
The  world,  God's  body,  deeming  low, 
Why  did  he  let  his  body  grow? 

Was  brain,  or  just  his  theory,  cracked? 
76 


Surf  %ines 

222 

He  stopped  with  thought's  arithmetic; 

At  all  thought's  algebra  he  'd  stick. 
From  thought  would  Hegel  the  sensuous  delete ; 
With  Schopenhauer,  the  thought 's  concrete. 
With  Hegel,  therefore,  loth  to  struggle, 
He  called  his  Logic  "  verbal  juggle." 
Thus  one  leads  mind  up  to  God's  throne, 
The  other  proves  all  worlds  man's  own 

Idea,  'till  mind  and  heart  grow  sick. 

223 

No  man  can  lose  a  bosom  friend 

And  not  feel  poorer  to  life's  end. 
Cause  man  to  lose  a  God  above, 
And  from  his  soul  goes  so  much  love. 
No  longer  trusting  in  The  All, 
The  world  appears  an  empty  skull! 
In  face  of  babe  and  man  we  see 
If  food  doth  or  doth  not  agree. 

From  souls  anaemic,  Lord  defend! 

224 

These  thinkers  both  are  based  on  Kant, 
Hence  both  will  readers  never  want. 

But  Hegel  was  an  optimist, 

Schopenhauer,  a  pessimist. 

An  optimist  the  doughnut  sees, 

The  pessimist  the  hole  doth  please. 

Both  hole  and  doughnut  surely  are ; 

The  optimist  gets  the  better  fare — 
His  eye  sees  with  a  better  slant. 
77 


Surf  Xmes 

225 

Both  optimism  and  pessimism 

Reveal  in  point  of  fact  a  schism 
Like  action  and  reaction.    Each 
Alone,  to  full  truth  doth  not  reach. 
One  must  the  other  e'er  reverse 
To  active  keep  the  universe. 
In  what 's  done  by  the  whole  machine 
The  meaning  of  its  parts  is  seen. 

Full  truth  is  found  in  no  one  "  ism." 

226 

A  crooked  glass  is  pessimist, 

A  perfect  glass  is  optimist. 
A  face  by  evil  passions  scarred, 
But  finds  this  life  a  burden  hard. 
A  face  that  inner  goodness  shows 
All  radiant  through  life's  troubles  goes. 
A  crooked  glass  can't  be  made  right, 
But  crooked  minds  can  change  o'er  night 

And  seek  the  good  that  they  have  missed. 

227 

Let  mind  (if  science  tangle  all), 

Fall  back  on  Reason  Practical. 
Man  needs  no  higher  truth  to  seek 
Than  what  makes  strong  instead  of  weak. 
Said  Grant,  "  First  gather  evidence, 
Then  fight  and  trust  hi  Providence." 
No  victory  was  ever  won 
By  waiting  till  all  facts  were  known; 

Mere  greed  of  knowledge  caused  Man's  Fall. 
78 


Surt  OLines 
228 

Practical  Reason  shows  a  Will 

That  thinks  and  acts — not  doubting  still. 

It  shows  Thought  working  actively 

To  make  itself  felt  outwardly. 

It  wills  to  make  Good  manifest 

By  giving  All  its  very  best. 

For  Good  for  self  it  does  not  call, 

It  will  but  share  the  Good  of  All 
As  it  must  share  with  All,  their  111! 

229 

Man's  mind  is  conscious  God  in  man, 

In  vain  for  God  men  matter  scan. 

Man's  mind,  bereft  of  thought  of  God, 

Is  mortal  as  the  merest  clod. 

If  one  would  free  his  mind  from  doubt, 

Just  Knock !    He  '11  find  God  "  hi "  not  "  out " ; 

For  't  is  in  Him  we  live  and  move, 

His  witness  in  our  hearts  is  love — 

This  not  to  know,  is  God  to  ban. 

230 

As  God  reveals  Himself  to  Man, 
Our  Race  perceives  just  what  it  can. 
Faith's  basic  truths  stand  verified 
By  application  ages  tried. 
Our  Reason's  very  highest  flight 
Must  stop  far  short  of  Heaven's  Light; 
Yet  what,  by  proof,  we  surely  know, 
Inspires  our  souls  with  celestial  glow, 
As  conscious  workers  in  God's  plan. 
79 


Surf  Xines 

231 

God  but  exhales !  Ten  million  whirls, 
As  worlds  or  stars,  through  space  He  hurls. 
God  but  inhales !    In  eager  strife 
They  plunge  into  the  Fount  of  Life. 
Each  part  of  All 's  an  entity — 
No  part,  as  All,  can  poorer  be ! 
Could  Tune  e'er  wreck  what 's  in  each  one, 
God's  life  had  stopped  ere  ours  begun — 
Snapped  were  the  cord  that  threads  life's  pearls  I 

232 

Just  think  one  million  worlds !    When  done, 

Denote  them  by  the  figure  "  i." 
Erase  that  "  i  "  and  naught  is  left 
But  God,  of  all  we  've  thought  bereft! 
To  us  this  may  seem  loss  of  all— 
To  God  the  loss  may  be  but  small ! 
Vast  concepts,  that  may  daze  the  wise, 
No  terrors  have  for  suckling's  eyes — 

They  knock  card-houses  down  for  fun. 

233 

Unless  God  dies  in  man  from  birth, 
We  live  hi  God  beyond  this  earth. 

Each  part 's  included  in  the  whole— 

*T  is  true  of  body,  true  of  soul. 

Parts  diverse  in  each  unity 

Keep  individuality; 

Con-fusion  is  not  in  God's  plan, 

God  coexists  with  Christ  and  Man. 
Each  spark  of  Spirit  has  its  worth. 
80 


234 

Each  drop  of  water  in  the  sea 

Shows  myriad  animalculae ; 
Each  one  of  them  's  an  entity 
Aware  of  its  identity. 
No  consciousness,  when  life  is  rounded, 
Shall  ever  find  itself  con-founded. 
The  words  of  the  Te  Deum  soar 
Afar  to  Time's  remotest  shore — 

They  hold  good  through  eternity. 

235 

Just  fancy  drops  convened  at  seal 

A  drop  says:  "  Water  's  my  Idea; 
But  join  to  that  this  Will  of  mine 
And  you  explain  surrounding  brine." 
The  drops  adjourn  without  the  Notion 
That 's  summed  up  in  the  one  word  Ocean. 
The  Notion  of  Humanity 
Is  clear  to  some  who  God  can't  see, 

Or  feel  his  All-Identity. 

236 

The  "  Religion  of  Humanity  " 

Is  so  near  Christianity, 
That  it  would  seem  perversity 
The  sheer  perversion  not  to  see. 
It  only  fails  to  rise  on  wing 
Because  it  lacks  a  live  mainspring. 
Particulars  can't  stand  alone, 
Their  Universal  must  be  shown. 

Thus  God  looms  up  eternally. 
6  81 


Surf  %ines 

237 

For  Humanity's  cult,  F.  Harrison 

(Like  Esau,  Isaac's  hairy  son), 
Once  craving  Bread,  (Theol'gy  in  dotage), 
His  Christian  birthright  gave — "  for  pottage." 
But  Holy  Church  holds  relics,  stones, 
And  truth  revives  e'en  faith's  dead  bones. 
Her  stray  truth-hunters  yet  shall  yearn 
For  their  old  home  and  glad  return, 

When  reason  faith's  work  carries  on. 

238 

Like-Unlike,  are  reciprocal; 
Alone,  they  can't  be  thought  at  all. 

From  what  but  varies,  we  advance 

To  things  opposed,  at  a  glance. 

Comparison  shows  things  unlike, 

Whose  likeness  yet  impresses  sight. 

In  difference,  identity, 

And  then  new  difference,  thought  doth  see, 
All  opposites  together  fall. 

239 

In  polar  opposites  combined 

The  power  of  battery  we  find. 
Man  's  forced  to  reason  just  because 
The  world  's  discordant  in  its  "  laws." 
To  grasp  a  thing,  we  first  must  know 
What  opposites  that  thing  doth  show; 
Then  seek  the  higher  unity 
For  factors  contradictory. 

'T  is  thus  we  rise  from  sense  to  mind. 
82 


Surt  Xfnes 
240 

Real  contradiction  but  incites 

To  find  what  opposites  unites. 
Each  side  has  its  inherent  use, 
Bi-unity  doth  naught  con-fuse. 
To  yield,  each  side  's  forever  loth, 
The  truth  both  serve,  includes  them  both. 
Who  cannot  take  both  by  the  hands, 
True  place  of  neither  understands. 

"  The  Country  grows  by  party  fights !  " 

241 

Our  country  sends  forth  troops  to  kill, 

And  diplomats,  the  strife  to  still. 
(No  peace  can  be  without  good  will ; 
With  men  of  bad  will,  peace  is  nil.) 
In  finite  realm,  where  all  's  ajar, 
There  ever  will  be  peace  and  war. 
Though  arbitration  peace  command, 
By  force  alone  decrees  will  stand. 

Who  sees  with  but  one  eye,  sees  ill! 

242 

Twelve  hours  of  light,  twelve  hours  of  dark 
Make  up  the  day,  by  earthly  mark. 

They  correlate,  not  disagree — 

A  unit  in  duality. 

Nor  good  nor  bad  alone  may  stand, 

All  things  have  opposites  at  hand. 

Related  to  myself  I  'm  "  I  " 

But  also  "  I  "  to  others  by. 
For  each,  its  other  we  remark. 
83 


Surf  %ines 
243 

Day  ends  with  night,  night  ends  with  day, 
Twin  sides  of  one  harmonious  play. 

Death  thus  with  life,  and  life  with  death, 
Are  both  involved  in  every  breath. 
Nothing  exists  without  its  other, 
The  two  are  one,  like  father-mother. 
Who  knows  but  lif e,  all  death  must  hate ; 
While  Reason  sees  but  change  of  state — 
Not  life  but  body  fades  away. 

244 

Denial 's  night,  belief  is  day, 

They  cannot  part,  though  strive  they  may. 
Should  atheist  go  to  savage  brother, 
They  would  not  really  like  each  other. 
All  men  in  common  much  must  see 
Ere  they  can  kindly  disagree. 
Who  in  debate  in  temper  flies, 
That  he  's  in  strait,  doth  all  apprise. 

For  Doxy,  both  "  Ortho  "  and  "  Hetero  "  play. 

245 

In  opposites  that  fright  the  soul, 
How  does  our  reason  view  the  whole? 
It  says,  to  neither  we  belong, 
We  are,  by  both,  but  helped  along. 
*T  is  I  who  sleep,  and  I  who  wake, 
In  life  and  death  the  same  course  take. 
My  opposites  exist  through  me, 
I  both  as  incidental  see ; 
Nor  one  or  other  me  control. 
84 


Surf  Xines 
246 

Of  body,  man  begins  to  tire, 

Long  ere  years  "  three-score,  ten  "  expire. 
His  mental  powers  show  clear  and  bright 
As  long  as  brain  and  body  's  right. 
When  Kodak's  work  is  poorly  done, 
We  test  the  lens  and  not  the  Sun. 
Poor  music  a  great  artist  brings 
From  harp  with  worn  or  broken  strings ; 

By  death  set  free,  Man  rises  higher. 

247 

Seventeen-year  locusts  may  be  found 
By  perfect  shells  upon  the  ground. 
The  locust 's  like  the  live  ideal, 
The  cast-off  shell  stands  for  the  real. 
Reality  naught  lasting  shows, 
Th'  ideal  through  the  ages  goes. 
The  real  is  but  the  fleeting  form, 
Th'  ideal,  't  is,  supplies  the  norm 
Reality  e'er  flickers  round. 

248 

All  peoples  who  earth's  soil  have  trod, 
Have  felt  the  presence  of  a  God. 
The  rare  exceptions  to  this  rule 
Are  tribes  resembling  ape  or  fool. 
No  people  great  did  ever  rise 
Who  felt  no  mind  throughout  the  skies. 
Reluctant  souls  who  can't  thus  mount, 
In  history,  for  little  count; 
Depressed,  through  life  they  hopeless  plod. 
85 


Surf  Xines 
249 

To  minds  religious,  all  we  see 
Is  ruled  by  God  in  harmony. 

In  all  earth's  music  that  we  hear, 

Discord  to  concord  's  ever  near. 

Thus  that  which  "  is  "  and  "  ought  to  be  " 

But  interact,  not  disagree. 

'T  is  thus  the  world-process  doth  thrive, 

Kept  never  torpid,  e'er  alive. 
The  choice  we  make  's  our  destiny. 

250 

God's  world-process  defies  man's  thought! 

An  age  but  seldom  gets  what  's  sought. 
What  one  age  sows,  another  reaps 
When  son  his  sire's  ideal  keeps. 
What  twenty  years  might  bring  about, 
Ten  years  may  see  quite  crowded  out 
By  new  cross  currents,  that  confuse 
The  public  mind  and  change  its  views. 

World's-Process  shows  man  's  great,  man  's  naught ! 

251 

We  see  in  the  objective  world 

The  good  prevail,  then  backward  hurled. 

This  contradiction,  we  are  taught, 

'Tween  good  that  is  and  yet  is  not, 

To  mind  an  endless  progress  shows 

To  actualize  the  good  man  knows — 

Gives  man  a  guide  in  what  he  ought 

To  be,  if  worthy  life  be  sought. 
By  mind  this  standard  is  unfurled. 

86 


Surf  %ines 
252 

The  end  for  which  the  world  exists 
Accomplished  is ;  yet  ne'er  desists 
The  world  from  working  to  its  end. 
One-sided  youth  the  world  would  mend; 
There  's  but  one  way  to  set  it  right — 
To  improve  ourselves  by  day  and  night. 
Its  beauty  shows  to  loving  hearts, 
Its  ugliness,  where  love  departs. 
Like  day  and  night,  each  side  persists. 

253 

God's  purpose  in  this  world,  we  see, 

Is  to  give  chance  to  you  and  me 
Both  good  and  evil  here  to  find, 
That  we  may  act  with  open  mind, 
And  choose  our  service,  with  free  will, 
On  side  of  good  or  side  of  ill. 
Whichever  side  we  help  along, 
Apart  from  God  there  's  nothing  strong — 

His  will  prevails  eternally. 

254 

Whoe'er  is  good  at  any  task, 

World-process  serves,  though  under  mask. 
The  good  are  seldom  good  at  all, 
The  bad  oft  in  their  badness  fall. 
Some  are  quite  good  at  doing  bad, 
Some  bad  at  doing  good — 't  is  sad ! 
Or  good  or  bad,  who  does  his  best, 
To  Providence  may  leave  the  rest — 

The  world-process  no  more  doth  ask. 
87 


Surt  SLines 
255 

Who  '11  neither  seek  nor  take  advice 

Must  later  surely  pay  the  price. 
A  spider  poison  makes  'mid  flowers 
Where  bees  sip  honey  by  the  hours. 
Nor  bee  nor  spider  e'er  can  change ; 
If  man  could  not,  we  'd  think  it  strange. 
Where  consequences  are  too  ill, 
Men  quickly  find  they  have  free  will 

To  give  up  e'en  their  fondest  vice ! 

256 

All  doubt  regarding  man's  free  will, 

In  practice,  is  not  hard  to  still. 
Free  is  man's  conscious  will  alone, 
Sub-conscious  will 's  with  God  at  one. 
Each  mortal  will  its  free  course  takes, 
Immortal  will  makes  no  mistakes. 
Boys'  wills  are  free  to  act  in  school, 
Yet  work  and  discipline  o'errule. 

School's  end  through  freedom  boys  fulfil. 

257 

The  artist  who  strives  against  mistakes 

Feels  free  in  all  he  undertakes. 

Who  ignorant,  doth  art's  laws  brave, 
Is,  to  his  faults,  a  very  slave. 
The  man  whose  will 's  with  God  at  one 
Feels  himself  free  and  not  undone. 
Freedom  exists  alone  through  law, 
As  Kant  and  Hegel  plainly  saw. 

Law,  will  protects,  not  free  will  breaks. 
88 


Surf  Xines 
258 

Man's  will  is  free  through  acts  to  range ; 

To  think  it  not,  doth  mind  derange. 
Who  wills  a  thing,  or  will  not  will, 
In  either  case,  he  must  will  still. 
Man  can  all  will,  save  will  to  love, 
Since  Love,  as  God,  is  will  above. 
For  some  things  willed,  man  long  must  try, 
As  when  man  willed  that  he  would  fly. 

Without  free  will  life  would  seem  strange  I 

259 

Some  "  other  "  is  for  everything; 

Its  "  other  "  to  it  fast  doth  cling. 
'Tween  opposites  the  bond  to  find 
Explains  each  "  other  "  to  the  Mind. 
'T  is  here  Free  Will  comes  into  play, 
To  one  or  t'  other  giving  way. 
Man  fights  his  fight,  reaps  his  reward, 
But  none  may  the  Great  End  retard — 

Equation  will  solution  bring. 

260 

Both  God  and  devil,  One  for  aye, 
In  all  sound  thought  together  stay. 
(He  surely  some  wrong  way  hath  trod 
Who  devil  feels  more  near  than  God  I) 
This  Great  Bi-Une  makes  night  and  day, 
All  111,  all  Good  (thus  saith  Isai'). 
Who  thus  doth  hold  of  Heaven-Hell, 
He,  only,  knows  his  Logic  well, 
Whate'er  weak  sentiment  may  say. 
89 


Surf  Xines 
261 

"  There  is  a  place  of  tears  and  woe 

To  which  earth's  wicked  souls  must  go  "  ? 

There  is  a  place  of  crime  and  sin, 

'T  is  now  each  criminal  within. 

To  heaven  or  hell  none  ever  go, 

We  "  settle  there  "  while  here  below. 

'T  is  this  that  makes  our  life  worth  while ; 

Not  dreams  of  some  enchanted  isle, 
Nor  place  where  fires  eternal  glow  I 

262 

Each  man  within  prepares  his  place, 
For  future  joy  or  his  disgrace. 

Each  must  his  place  in  future  find 

With  such  as  are  of  his  own  kind. 

The  ocean's  vapors  thus  we  see 

To  sea  flow  back  eternally. 

Here  good  and  bad  are  strangely  mixed ; 

Next  starting-points  't  is  here  are  fixed. 
Our  next  life  'mid  our  sort  we  face ! 

263 

Malicious  critics  spend  their  days 
Detracting  from  then-  neighbors'  praise. 
Their  victims  may  grow  patient,  good ; 
The  critic's  fate  is  understood. 
His  only  pleasure  to  give  pain, 
His  brutal  daring  makes  him  vain. 
In  willing  unto  others  Hell, 
He  puts  himself  therein  to  dwell, 
'Mong  those  who  cursing  go  their  ways. 
90 


Surf  Xines 

264 

Some  shut  their  eyes  and  take  their  ease, 

Serenely  doing  as  they  please. 
Because  their  debt  but  slowly  grows, 
They  think  the  account  will  never  close. 
The  more  they  their  own  sins  forgive, 
The  less  will  they  let  others  live. 
Then*  own  lives  hiding  in  the  dark, 
They  others  force  to  toe  the  mark, 

By  every  means  that  can  displease  I 

265 

Harsh  words  are  like  a  boomerang, 
Who  sends  them  forth  must  feel  the  pang. 
They  do  brief  harm  to  whom  they  go, 
Returning,  't  is  they  deal  the  blow. 
Who  sends  them  out,  or  near  or  far, 
His  soul  and  face  betray  the  scar. 
None  harbors  thought  of  hate  intense 
And  keeps  the  face  of  innocence — 
Harsh  lines  betray  the  hidden  fang. 

266 

'T  is  cruel  to  such  souls,  to  let 
Them  in  their  scorn  their  deeds  forget, 
Since  all,  for  every  evil  word, 
Must  hourly  answer  to  soul's  Lord. 
"  Christ !     God !    O  help !  "  they  wildly  cry, 
When  consequences  they  feel  nigh; 
But  all  must  reap  that  which  they  sow — 
As  merest  child  on  earth  may  know — 
Yet  warning  makes  some  folks  worse  yet ! 


Surf  Xines 
267 

Can  they  who  sore  have  misbehaved, 
Or  here,  or  elsewhere,  e'er  be  saved? 
Man  can  turn  now  from  what  he  fears, 
And  stain  of  sin  wipe  out  with  tears. 
Great  Dante  tells  of  one  who  died, 
And  e'en  in  Hell,  maintained  his  pride. 
"  Thy  will  be  done,"  God's  children  pray; 
An  evil  will  afar  must  stay 
Self -doomed  unto  the  state  it  braved  I 

268 

"  For  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost 
There  's  pardon  none."    He  's  surely  lost 
Who  his  own  light  within  puts  out 
By  wilful  sin  or  stubborn  doubt. 
By  "  Holy  Ghost  "  the  Church  doth  mean 
The  common  bond  God-Christ  between. 
God's  Holy  Spirit  in  the  heart, 
To  each  man  gives,  in  Christ,  his  part. 
That  tie  man  severs  at  his  cost. 

269 

Each  one  is  author  of  his  fate, 

An  evil  fate  for  all  who  hate. 

"  I  hurt  myself,"  the  infant  cries; 
The  evil  doer  's  not  so  wise. 
Like  tree,  so  life  is  judged  by  fruit, 
A  brutal  life  's  self-lashed  like  brute. 
The  Christ  in  man  is  good  to  all — 
To  self,  to  others,  great  and  small, 

Save  thieves  within  the  temple  gate  I 
92 


Surf  %fnes 
270 

Who  here  obedience  will  not  choose, 

Cannot  with  decency  refuse 
To  bide  his  own  decree,  and  move 
Apart  from  servants  of  the  God  of  Love. 
Frail  servants,  e'en  the  best  may  be, 
But,  serving,  they  gain  liberty 
From  snares  of  self  while  here  on  earth. 
True  heaven  in  their  hearts  finds  birth 

Who  life's  great  gift  do  not  abuse. 

271 

Most  piteous  in  Dante's  hells 
Are  those,  of  whom  the  poet  tells, 

Whose  heads,  on  shoulders,  are  reversed, 

So  that  they  ever  see  the  worst 

Of  lif  e — its  years  gone  by— 

And  live  them  o'er  in  agony. 

Why,  on  the  past,  reflect  in  sorrow? 

We  live  to-day,  can  live  to-morrow; 
A  cheerful  heart  bright  days  foretells. 

272 

The  future  scan  with  laughing  eyesl 
"  Man,  only,  laughs,"  't  is  thus  he  's  wise. 
If,  on  the  morrow,  you  topple  o'er, 
Just  quickly  rise,  and  laugh  the  more. 
"  Man  is  the  laughing  animal " ; 
Then,  who  can't  laugh  's  not  man  at  all  1 
Life  's  not  a  baleful  tragedy, 
But  just  the  soul's  Divine  Comedy 
That 's  planned  to  end  in  glad  surprise. 
93 


Surf  %fnea 
273 

Man's  nature  makes  him  stand  erect, 
Not  move  "  on  fours  "  with  face  deject. 
His  eyes  are  set  to  look  before, 
Thus,  on  what 's  past,  to  dwell  no  more. 
Tune  drives  us  onward  year  by  year, 
Why  look  behind?    There  's  naught  to  fear 
In  what  is  past.    It 's  dead  and  gone — 
Ahead,  life's  victory  's  to  be  won! 
Look  straight  ahead.    You  '11  land  detect ! 

274 

The  past  is  now,  to  be  forgiven, 
The  future  's  now  to  enter  heaven. 
Thus  past  and  future  God  doth  see, 
Thus  should  they  be  for  you  and  me. 
Naught 's  gained  by  putting  off  the  day 
When  we  our  soul's  just  debt  must  pay. 
Who  of  the  morrow  no  thought  takes 
But  daily  with  his  God  peace  makes, 
His  soul 's  alive  with  the  true  leaven. 

275 

Of  solar  system,  sun  is  soul, 
It  sees  no  shadows  where  orbs  roll. 
Man's  soul,  filled  with  Religion's  light, 
Bids  darkness  flee  and  sees  no  night. 
No  finite  thing  can  shadow  throw 
Into  a  soul  with  light  aglow. 
The  Sun  of  Soul  in  man  can  save, 
In  life,  hi  death,  beyond  the  grave. 
The  point  of  view  decides  the  whole. 
94 


Surt  OLines 
276 

The  prince  of  darkness  ever  hies 

From  solar  radiance  in  the  skies. 
Who  dwells  in  light  ne'er  sees  the  dark, 
(Who  dwells  in  darkness,  stars  may  mark !) 
God's  X-ray  penetrates  within, 
His  eye  's  too  pure  to  behold  sin. 
From  finite  limits  free,  the  soul 
May  see  God's  splendors  'fore  him  roll. 

Earth's  discords  end  in  harmonies. 

277 

The  sun  's  more  mighty,  far,  than  wood, 

Yet  shutters  may  its  light  exclude. 
Hence  feeble  man,  no  one  can  doubt, 
May  close  his  blinds  and  keep  light  out. 
No  power  exists  'neath  heaven's  span, 
To  thwart  the  will  of  one  bad  man. 
The  world  would  fall,  if  wilful  fools 
Could,  without  hurt,  transgress  its  rules, 

And  share  the  fortunes  of  the  good. 

278 

Man's  conscious  mind,  warped,  criminals  makes; 
But,  hypnotized,  their  thinking  takes 

A  different  course.    They  '11  sermons  preach 

Which  naught  but  purest  morals  teach. 

Though  consciously,  they  're  evil,  crude, 

Subconsciously,  all  men  are  good. 

To  all,  God  is  so  very  near, 

That  evil  seems  a  thin  veneer. 
Bad  habits  hypnotism  breaks. 
95 


Surf  Xines 
279 

All  fright  intense  may  hypnotize. 
It  may  from  accident  arise, 

Disease,  or  terror  of  beast's  claw, 

Or  from  the  sentence  of  the  law. 

"  Death-bed  repentance,"  we  suspect 

Omniscient  God  may  not  reject. 

'T  is  thinkable  that  something  worse 

Befalls  one  e'en  to  end  perverse, 
Who  sullenly,  or  mocking,  dies. 

280 

"  Thank  God,  I  'm  good,"  cries  Pharisee, 
"  Why  are  not  other  men  like  me?" 
"  Thy  pardon  give,"  prays  Publican, 
"  I  've  sinned  'gainst  Thee  and  fellow-man !  " 
God  gives  no  warrant  to  espy 
And  neighbors'  faults  to  magnify. 
Who,  wilful,  spreads  unhappiness 
What  power  in  earth  or  sky  can  bless, 
Or  now,  or  in  eternity? 

281 

True  worshippers,  it 's  understood, 
Deny  they  are, — they  would  be  good. 
A  scoffer  may  not  doubt  he  's  better 
Without,  than  with,  Religion's  fetter; 
Both  appetite  and  self-will  guard 
From  all  that  points  him  heavenward. 
His  conscience  holds  him  safely  far 
From  pledge  that  might  with  impulse  jar. 
Religious  minds  he  scorns  as  crude. 
96 


Surf  OUnes 
282 

No  one  is  good  but  God  alone  I 

The  good  in  man  is  only  shown 
By  glad  obedience  to  the  laws 
Of  home  and  country,  and  each  cause 
That  seeks  on  earth  good  will  to  spread, 
And  order  keep,  like  that  o'erhead. 
Above,  true  order  's  kept  at  cost 
Of  ruin  where  the  orbit 's  lost. 

No  other  outcome  there  is  known. 

283 

We  don't  discuss  the  needs  of  art 
With  those  who  have  for  art  no  heart. 
Why  then  discuss  affairs  of  Church 
With  those  who  leave  her  in  the  lurch? 
Who  'd  joyous  smile,  not  weep  or  frown, 
To  see  the  meddling  thing  go  down, 
That  seeks  to  curb  with  talk  of  sin 
Man's  cunning  schemes  his  ends  to  win. 
In  selfish  life,  Church  hath  no  part. 

284 

The  Church  that  operates  by  man 

Has  man's  perfection  for  her  plan. 
She  'd  make  him  strong,  yet  reverent,  meek, 
To  do  the  Good,  The  Good  to  seek. 
Though  scarred  by  man's  infirmities, 
These  make  him  feel  the  Church  is  his. 
His  power  to  mould  for  good  or  ill, 
Inspires  his  soul  and  proves  his  will, 

Since  finite  aid  is  in  God's  plan. 
7  97 


Surf  OLines 
285 

The  Notion  of  scholar,  artist,  priest, 
Implies  attainments  high  at  least. 
The  Notion,  Church,  the  thought  implies 
Of  Him  whose  glory  fills  the  skies. 
When  hearts  beat  warm  for  any  cause 
Men  organize  and  set  up  laws. 
If  by  man's  fault  the  work  's  beset, 
This  makes  true  souls  more  loyal  yet. 
True  zeal 's  by  troubles  but  increased. 

286 

No  critic  creates  works  of  art, 
He  lacks  the  impulse  and  the  heart. 
The  critic  but  exception  takes ; 
The  artist  earnest  effort  makes. 
A  critic  lives  by  "  but  "  and  "  if  "— 
Two  words  that  chill  all  ardor  stiff. 
Who  waits  to  see  the  Church  all  right, 
Will,  long  before,  bid  earth  good-night. 
He  '11  take  in  it  nor  lot  nor  part. 

287 

Some  go  to  Church  to  commune  with  God, 
Some  wait  to  meet  Him  'neath  the  sod. 
It 's  all  at  last  a  thing  of  choice, 
The  doubter  can't  in  God  rejoice. 
(Though  love  with  virtues  adorns  life, 
Who  Woman  doubts  will  ne'er  take  wife.) 
Enthusiasm  must  find  friends, 
Alone  it  splutters,  cools  and  ends. 
Alone,  a  dreary  path  is  trod. 
98 


Surf  %fnes 
288 

The  Church  enjoins  naught  from  the  skies, 
She  wills  the  Good  and  bids  it  rise. 
Christ  says  His  Kingdom  is  within, 
'T  is  there  we  conquer  death  and  sin. 
Who  atrophies  his  psychic  power 
How  shall  he  pass  through  his  last  hour? 
Whate'er  contracts  a  man's  own  soul 
Impairs  the  force  that  keeps  him  whole. 
A  wise  man  guards  against  surprise ! 

289 

Skill  comes  but  to  the  practised  hand. 

Discussion  ne'er  can  give  command 
Of  power  that  exercise  brings  forth ; 
Applied  religion  sole,  has  worth. 
Buddha  was  wise  and  good  indeed, 
But  Buddhists  lack  set  prayer  and  creed. 
They  meditate,  instead  of  pray, 
And,  passive,  dream  this  life  away. 

Work,  live  and  pray !  is  Christ's  command. 

290 

Religion  it  is  vain  to  talk 
With  one  determined  not  to  walk 
Or  exercise  in  any  way 
Along  the  path  from  day  to  day. 
A  man  who  simply  talks  or  reads 
About  the  letter  of  the  creeds, 
But  shuns  the  discipline,  can  he 
E'er  strengthened  by  religion  be? 
Such  methods  real  religion  mock. 
99 


Surf  Xines 
291 

The  forces  by  which  now  are  wrought 

The  wonders  of  inventive  thought 
Are  immaterial  to  sight 
And  only  known  by  Reason's  light. 
'T  is  largely  but  a  thing  of  taste 
What  force  is  used,  what  let  to  waste. 
The  few  may  work  with  compressed  air, 
But  all  can  test  the  force  of  prayer. 

Some  ignorance  is  dearly  bought. 

292 

Religious  talk  's  a  game  of  chess 

To  fill  an  hour  of  idleness. 
Religious  lif e  one  always  knows 
Not  by  what 's  said,  but  what  one  does. 
The  irreligious  love  to  fence 
O'er  Creed  or  Bible's  evidence, 
But  never  deign  to  lift  their  eyes 
In  prayer  to  Heaven  to  make  them  wise— 

They  "  know  too  much,"  they  thus  confess. 

293 

Religion  is  no  thin  veneer, 

That  cracks  and  fails  when  danger  's  near. 
Instinctively,  men  void  of  creed, 
Commit  their  souls  to  God  in  need. 
'T  is  storm,  not  sunshine  yields  the  test 
Of  what  by  consciousness  is  confessed, 
When,  startled  into  prescience, 
Man's  soul  breaks  loose  from  bonds  of  sense, 

Knows  God  is  near  and  all  doth  hear. 
100 


Surf  OUnes 

294 

Alas !  that  men,  when  asked  to  pray 

Should  oft  in  pity  turn  away. 
Material  forces  all  respect, 
Though  spiritual  forces  they  reject. 
They  spurn  the  mighty  inmost  tether 
That  binds  God,  world  and  man  together. 
The  force  that 's  latent  in  the  soul, 
Which  prayer  shows  under  our  control, 

Helps  make  the  best  of  life  each  day. 

295 

Far  more,  alas!  that  when  some  pray, 
Their  thoughts  afar  should  helpless  stray, 
Unwitting  how,  with  concentrate  mind, 
To  heaven's  ear  the  way  to  find. 
The  source  of  goodness,  joy  or  sin, 
Is  not  outside  man,  but  within. 
Environment  but  aids  the  seeds 
Within  the  soul,  if  grain  or  weeds. 
Nothing  without  makes  good  men  stray. 

296 

Auto-suggestion  now  men  call 

The  in-turned  thought  potent  for  all. 

That  silent  thought  our  soul  doth  bless 

And  reaches  others  in  distress. 

When  man  to  God  thus  turns  in  thought, 

By  Christ,  in  man,  the  blessing  's  wrought. 

No  idle  word  is  ever  lost; 

No  earnest  word  is  idly  tossed 
In  empty  space,  fruitless  to  fall. 
101 


Surf  Xines 
297 

Some  people  are  quite  hard  to  please, 
(Say — those  who  ne'er  say  prayer  on  knees !) 
They  '11  view  an  infinite  of  suns, 
As  nightly  round  the  pole  it  runs, 
And  feel  no  thrill  as  part  of  all — 
Nay,  scorn  their  part  'cause  't  is  so  small  1 
A  junior  partner  in  such  firm, 
They  're  positive,  is  but  a  worm ! 
They  hold  it  sane  to  doubt  and  freeze ! 

298 

By  sound,  or  written  sign  of  sound, 
Mind  touches  mind,  the  world  around. 

Two  forms  this  shows,  the  one  is  speech, 

The  other  music,  with  wider  reach. 

Speech  rests  on  understanding's  ground, 

In  music,  intuitions  sound. 

Subconsciously,  both  tune  and  verse 

One  root  share  in  the  universe ; 
Both  spring  from  Absolute  Being's  ground. 

299 

One  goes  on  foot  to  bear  a  letter; 

Another  rides,  the  pace  is  better. 
A  letter  goes  by  boat  or  tram 
And  thus  the  time  's  reduced  again. 
The  message  next,  a  wire  doth  bear; 
Then  goes,  by  wireless,  through  the  air. 
To  thought-transference  all  doth  tend, 
And  some  minds  now  have  reached  this  end. 

Time  may  retard,  but  can't  mind  fetter. 
1 02 


Surf  Xtnes 
300 

Man's  frame  is  evolution's  flower. 

His  mind  sheds  perfume,  hour  by  hour, 
In  form  of  thoughts,  that  silent  flow, 
As,  like  soft  breaths,  or  gales,  they  blow. 
From  every  flower,  from  each  man's  head, 
May  sane  or  noxious  influence  spread. 
A  Burbank's  art  may  plants  perfect, 
Religion  can  the  man  correct. 

Man  needs  but  try  God's  saving  power. 

301 

Each  thought  makes  changes  that  remain 

Impressed  on  matter  of  the  brain. 
These  cogitative  records  lie 
In  brain  as  source  of  memory. 
As  thought  thus  moulds  a  world  that 's  seen, 
It  well  may  work  on  worlds  unseen. 
Worlds,  endless,  outwardly  unfold, 
Worlds  without  end,  within  are  rolled, 

Man  stands  at  neither  end  of  chain. 

302 

That  thoughts  may  reach  a  "  distant "  mind, 

As  by  brain  wireless,  all  may  find. 
Desire  or  need  brings  this  about — 
The  thing  occurs  beyond  a  doubt. 
That  this  should  be,  why  wonder  we? 
Why  it 's  yet  rare  's  the  mystery ! 
'T  is  likely  best  we  concentrate 
Our  thoughts  on  work  in  present  state, 

Lest  to  near  duty  we  grow  blind. 
103 


Surf  %ines 
303 

Ethereal  bridges  span  the  breaks, 

When  spirit,  flight  to  spirit  makes. 
Thus  common  understanding  sings 
Of  human  souls  as  separate  things. 
'T  is  matter  that  asunder  flies, 
The  Spirit 's  One,  through  earth  and  skies ; 
All  parts  vibrate  within  One  Whole, 
Thus  soul  may  touch  another  soul, 

Concentrate  thought,  alone,  this  takes. 

304 

Great  Swedenborg  announced  the  laws 

Of  spirit-world  in  mystic  clause ; 

"  In  spirit,  Thought  doth  presence  bring: 
And  Love  unites."    Full  many  a  thing 
That  mind  of  man  of  heaven  conceives, 
He,  while  yet  on  this  earth,  receives. 
World-laws  a  miracle  don't  spurn, 
From  miracles  world-laws  we  learn; 

Before  one  doubts,  he  long  should  pause. 

305 

In  mind-cure  man  projects  his  share 
Of  psychic  force  through  viewless  air. 
It  reaches  far,  but  farther  still 
Conjoined  to  the  Almighty  Will. 
Thence  man  derives  the  power,  a  force 
To  wield,  drawn  from  its  boundless  source. 
With  power  thus  from  the  fountain  charged, 
In  scope  and  measure  thus  enlarged, 
Man's  works  may  with  his  Lord's  compare. 
104 


Surt  Xines 
306 

"  I  said  to  myself,"  is  often  heard, 
"  I  thought  to  myself,"  sounds  not  absurd. 
Thus  used  to  self,  within  to  turn, 
The  All  to  meet  there,  why  not  yearn? 
Mind  works  in  prayer  just  as  in  sleep, 
Which  doth  brain-action  dormant  keep. 
Brain-action  clogs  the  mind  with  sense, 
Alone,  mind's  power  is  oft  immense. 
For  this,  "  I  '11  sleep  it  o'er  "  's,  the  word. 

307 

In  sleep,  though,  man  but  suffers  all 

To  run  itself  whate'er  befall. 
In  prayer,  he  actively  doth  place 
His  need  before  the  "  Throne  of  Grace," 
Submerging  self  within  the  All, 
Whose  aid  he  feels  the  power  to  call. 
That  prayer  is  heard  's  by  none  denied 
Who  've  with  "  expectant  attention  "  tried 

To  enter  their  soul's  sacred  hall. 

308 

Prayer's  technic  should  be  taught  by  rule, 

As  well  as  form,  in  Sunday  School. 
With  closed  eyelids,  uplifted  eyes, 
(Found  helpful,  sense  to  hypnotize), 
Feel  Holy  Spirit  in  the  soul ; 
Through  Man-Christ,  go  to  God  (the  Whole) ; 
Repeat  a  Collect.     (If  that  fetter 
Use  any  words  that  you  think  better) ; 

You  '11  feel  the  Power  that  doth  o'errule. 
105 


Surf  Xinea 

309 

Avoid  all  "  repetitions  vain," 

But,  if  not  vain,  say  o'er  again, 
'Til,  memorized,  each  precious  word 
Re-echoed  from  the  heart  is  heard. 
Nor  poetry  nor  music  lose 
When  artist  every  strain  reviews ; 
Devoutly  he  goes  o'er  the  whole 
Until  it  blossoms  in  his  soul. 

True  prayer  's  inspired  like  music's  strain. 

310 

Musicians  joy  to  improvise, 

But  in  set  forms  they  mount  the  skies. 

What 's  written  down  and  oft  well  played — 

By  that  the  artist-soul  is  made. 

The  songs  of  Greece  still  move  the  heart, 

Immortalized  by  Homer's  art. 

The  true  oration 's  deeply  planned, 

Then  poured  from  heart  with  feeling  grand ; 
No  offhand  speech  with  such  power  vies. 

3" 

The  word  that 's  used  may  matter  not 

If  sense  of  the  Unseen  be  caught. 
Yet  words,  that  ages  long  survive, 
Thus  surely  prove  themselves  alive. 
Such  words  may  touch  the  secret  springs 
Of  power,  heredity  that  brings. 
All  words  by  noble  souls  long  loved 
Surpass  words  Time  's  not  yet  approved. 

Each  word  that 's  old  was  once  long  sought  I 
1 06 


Surt  Xines 
312 

Relate  each  name  and  word  that  's  used 
In  prayer,  to  some  thought,  unconfused, 
Of  the  All  Power  within  the  heart, 
In  which  Man,  Christ  and  God  have  part. 
The  only  way  to  strengthen  soul 
Is  consciously  to  feel  the  Whole 
Of  what,  from  sight  deep  hidden,  lies 
Within  the  world  that  meets  the  eyes; 
Thus  receptivity  's  induced. 


"  God  moves  in  a  mysterious  way  "; 

We  change  the  current  when  we  pray. 
If  we  but  let  things  take  their  course, 
By  chance,  we  may  feel  lightning's  force. 
Results  direct  if  we  would  see, 
Prayer  is  our  Franklin's  kite  and  key. 
No  mortal  knows  just  what  he  '11  get, 
But  fishes  good  will  fill  his  net  — 

No  fervent  prayer  e'er  goes  astray. 

314 

The  man  who  only  prays  through  priest, 

To  prayer  's  indifferent,  at  least. 
No  man  eats  from  another's  hand 
While  he  can  walk,  or  he  can  stand. 
The  priest  is  doctor  to  the  soul; 
What  he  prescribes  may  make  us  whole. 
Nor  priest  nor  doctor  all  can  do, 
The  patient,  too,  must  help  pull  through. 

From  prayer,  soul's  bread,  why  e'er  desist? 
107 


Surt  OLfnes 
315 

Each  hour  leaves  traces  of  earth's  dust 
Upon  the  soul;  hence,  cleanse  we  must 
The  soul  with  frequent  prayer,  lest  grime 
Collect  to  form  the  soil  for  crime. 
Souls  clean,  lives  open,  frank  and  free, 
The  watchwords  are  of  liberty, 
Without  which,  man,  whate'er  he  have, 
Drags  out  his  life,  to  fears  a  slave, 
With  naught  wherein  to  put  his  trust. 

316 

Who  truly  thinks  that  he  's  self-made, 

May  go  on  trusting  to  self -aid; 
For  he  who  's  brought  himself  thus  far, 
Should  nothing  let  his  record  mar ! 
Should  ever  his  own  right  arm  fail, 
'T  is  time  enough  to  hoist  the  sail 
Of  prayer  and  draw  on  secret  power 
To  pull  him  through  when  perils  lower; 

Some  only  pray  when  they  're  afraid  1 

317 

But  he  who  knows  how  very  small 

His  own  place  is,  within  the  All, 
Will  strengthen  arm  with  ring  and  pole, 
And  seek,  by  prayer,  to  strengthen  soul. 
For  soul  and  body,  exercise 
Alone,  increase  of  strength  supplies. 
The  means  prescribed,  the  taste  will  suit 
Of  all  who  crave  the  Spirit's  fruit. 

Neglect  of  means  oft  ruins  all. 
108 


Surt  OUnes 
318 

Prayer  's  waste  of  breath  if  not  sincere, 

All  fervent  pray  in  sudden  fear. 
Most  all  can  join  in  prayer  that 's  said 
By  priest  beside  a  dying  bed. 
It 's  a  relief  to  put  prayer  off 
When  one  is  well — nay  lightly  scoff 
At  Church  and  priest  and  holy  things ! 
When  strong  of  foot,  why  preen  soul's  wings, 

Or  take  one's  thought  from  pleasures  near? 

319 

Prayer  straightway  takes  who  prays  hi  hand, 
Confirms  his  will  by  self-command ; 
Develops  that  for  which  we  long, 
To  make  and  keep  us  calm  and  strong. 
By  prayer  we  may  ourselves  connect 
With  Power  Supreme,  and  so  reject 
Temptation's  wiles,  that  else  would  charm 
Our  wills  to  weakness  and  soul's  harm. 
Unaided  how  shall  mortal  stand? 

320 

"  Prayer  is  the  soul's  sincere  desire," 

Or  moved  by  love  or  anger's  fire. 
Love's  prayer  cannot  but  others  bless, 
While  anger's  must  ourselves  distress. 
Offences  often  must  needs  come, 
But  woe  to  him  who  brings  them  home. 
Fulfilled  must  be  the  law's  decree 
But  not,  let 's  pray,  by  you  or  me 

As  instrument  of  heaven's  ire ! 
109 


Surf 


321 

Prayer  's  uttered  in  each  strong  desire, 

If  low  we  aim,  or  high  aspire. 

Mere  prayers  of  impulse  seize  the  mind 
Inspired  by  moods  of  every  kind. 
Each  one  's  a  blessing  or  a  curse, 
And  curses  make  the  curser  worse  — 
"  Like  chickens  coming  home  to  roost  "- 
So  runs  a  proverb  often  used 

To  show  the  work  of  anger's  fire. 

322 

Good  prayers  are  fruitful,  like  good  seeds, 
111  wishes  choke  the  soul  like  weeds. 
With  goodness  we  must  fill  the  mind, 
Or  little  reason  there  we  '11  find. 
When  temper's  flare  is  not  withstood, 
Rank  poison  taints  and  tints  the  blood  ; 
The  brain  's  inflamed  with  angry  spite, 
And  reason  vanishes  in  night; 
Its  warnings  temper  never  heeds. 

323 

The  face  grows  hard,  and  ashen  pale, 
The  breath  comes  fast  as  driven  gale. 
None  can  the  tempest  still,  save  He 
Who  calmed  the  storm  of  Galilee. 
The  storm  that  's  let  to  run  its  course 
Subsides,  when  it  has  spent  its  force  ; 
But,  on  the  face,  deep  lines  appear 
By  passion's  sculpture  limned  there 
Where'er  the  soul  within  doth  ail. 
no 


Surt  %ines 
324 

There  's  beauty  in  serenity 
Whate'er  the  features  chance  to  be. 
A  gentle  spirit  makes  the  face 
Delight  all  eyes  with  charm  of  grace. 
A  radiant  soul  enthralleth  all 
Upon  whom  its  bright  smile  may  fall. 
And  what  such  souls  to  others  send 
They  do  not  lose,  but  simply  lend. 
They  share  with  all  in  amity. 

325 

We  oft  accept,  in  early  youth, 
What  science  holds  for  sober  truth. 

It  chills  the  marrow,  hardens  hearts, 

Till  all  uplifting  thought  departs; 

Belittles  men  to  ephemerae, 

With  outlook  narrowed  to  a  day. 

For  wise  old  age,  this  has  no  charms ; 

Warm  life  yet  left,  seeks  that  which  warms. 
Uplifting  thoughts  alone  then  soothe. 

326 

(A  boy  I  knew,  to  himself  once  thought: 

"  The  truth  's  by  orthodoxy  taught, 
Since  doctrines  known  as  orthodox 
Have  had  to  stand  the  hardest  knocks ; 
By  Understanding  ne'er  o'erthrown, 
Survival  Fittest  they  have  shown; 
What  stands  thus,  though  it  sense  displease, 
Somehow  with  deepest  truth  agrees." 

To  metaphysic  he  was  brought !) 
in 


Surf  Xines 
327 

Full  oft  reflective  minds  have  found 
Themselves  as  on  tree-branch  'bove  ground, 
And,  craving  mental  liberty, 
Have  sawed  themselves  clean  off  the  tree. 
But,  bond  of  continuity 
Destroyed,  no  unanimity 
Of  doctrine  may  men,  severed,  find 
To  help  them  act  as  of  one  mind. 
Mind's  ancient  truths  alone  are  sound. 

328 

Or  true  or  false,  that  is  the  crux! 
What  misdirected  life  rebukes 

Is  Truth,  though  clad  in  motley  guise — 

(Truth's  bill  of  fare  must  appetize !) 

Material  facts  must  not  reject 

What  human  nature  may  correct; 

For  human  life  is  more  than  meat ; 

A  life  that 's  good,  has  savor  sweet. 
There 's  much  that 's  false,  though  true  it  looks  I 

329 

True  and  correct  are  oft  confused 
When  words  are  inexactly  used. 

We  err  to  say  a  man  is  sick; 

The  phrase  conceals  a  verbal  trick. 

No  doubt  a  sick  man  sick  may  be, 

But  man  as  Man,  is  healthy,  free. 

To  say  man  's  sick  may  be  correct, 

But  that  it 's  true,  thought  must  reject, 
The  Notion,  Man,  is  thus  abused. 
112 


Surt  OLines 
330 

Truth  says,  Each  thing  must  coincide 
With  its  true  Notion,  naught  beside. 

A  thief,  indeed,  in  thief  we  see ; 

When  we  think  Man — no  thief  is  he. 

An  unjust  God  there  never  was ; 

His  Notion  includes  justice,  laws. 

True,  some  while  briefly  earth  they  trod, 

Have  felt  themselves  more  just  than  God- 
Sure  mark  of  ignorance  or  pride  I 

331 

Both  bird  and  beast  correctly  see 
Earth,  fire  and  water,  rock  and  tree. 
A  man  befogged  is  led  by  dog 
In  safety  through  a  perilous  bog. 
Ten  thousand  years  hence  man  may  know 
High  truths  his  Reason  's  still  below. 
But  we  must  follow  Reason  's  flight, 
Or  grope  in  Understanding's  night 
And  strive,  like  beast,  correct  to  be. 

332 

Correctness  of  his  senses,  man 

Must  take  as  basic  in  his  plan. 
But  Reason,  in  astronomy, 
Shows  that  no  rise  of  sun  can  be. 
Denying  witness  of  his  eyes, 
Astronomy  thus  makes  man  wise. 
Religion  's  just  as  sound  in  root — 
By  Reason  planned  to  bear  good  fruit, — 

With  work  for  fruit  the  Church  began. 


Surf  Xmes 

333 

Who  talks  but  loosely  sure  is  lost 

When  line  'twixt  talk  and  thinking  's  crossed. 
What  for  the  truth  is  often  passed, 
But  mere  correctness  proves  at  last. 
Much  is  correct,  as  judged  by  sense, 
That 's  untrue  by  thought's  evidence. 
The  danger  's  greatest  when  we  rise 
To  judge,  by  sense,  things  'bove  the  skies 

And  Reason's  faith  aside  is  tossed. 

334 

The  Creeds  show  Truth  at  Reason's  height, 

Though  not  correct  to  daily  sight. 
The  doctrine  meets  the  needs  of  all, 
Unlearned,  learned,  great  and  small. 
This  work  of  ancient  Reason's  stood 
Because  it 's  worked  a  lasting  good. 
True  students  in  Religion's  school 
Must  put  in  practice  every  rule 

By  which  our  nature  's  bent  to  Right. 

335 

Some  naught  of  Hamlet's  Truth  will  know, 
Unless  Correct,  the  tale  you  show. 

Religion  asks  that  you  and  me 

Not  mere  on-lookers,  actors  be. 

To  act,  means  practice  long,  and  skill; 

Demands  of  Church,  hence,  some  take  ill. 

Who  acts  on  stage,  may  earn  his  penny, 

But  act  for  soul!    Who  's  sure  there  's  any? 
"  All  Creeds  are  false,"  oft  men  avow. 
114 


Surf  Xtnes 

336 

Who  acts  his  part  upon  the  stage, 

May  other  thoughts,  'tween  tunes,  engage; 

Religion  bids  us  act  each  minute 

The  play  is  on  and  we  are  in  it! 

Zounds !    keep  that  up,  and  sure  as  fact, 

We  '11  soon  become  that  which  we  act! 

'T  is  thus  the  Church  "  becomes  a  bore  "; 

Like  Oliver  Twist,  she  cries  for  more— 
What  wonder  that  the  heathen  rage ! 

337 

By  faith,  through  need,  man  takes  his  food, 
Though  how  it  help  's  not  understood ; 
Yet  starving  souls  with  scorn  or  strife 
Reject  the  Master's  Bread  of  Life. 
They  sense  narcotic  in  His  Cup 
To  numb  the  brain  of  all  who  sup. 
They  risk  their  cash  to  reach  wealth's  goal, 
But  take  no  chance  to  enrich  the  soul. 
Why  better  be  while  they  feel  good? 

338 

St.  Paul  to  Corinthians  did  state, 
That  "  Spiritual  things  come  late." 
Vast  aeons  of  prehistoric  time 
May  have  preceded  truths  sublime 
With  which  all  history  doth  begin ; 
Of  God  and  Judgment,  Virtue,  Sin, 
And  conscious  Immortality 
In  doom  or  in  felicity ; 
And  all  the  thoughts  that  make  man  great. 


Surf  Xines 

339 

E'en  Herbert  Spencer  lived  to  find, 
"  'Mong  prehistoric  men,  great  Mind." 
Our  food  for  thought  holds  many  a  crumb 
That  down  to  us  from  them  hath  come  ; 
The  syllogistic  Trinity,  — 
Man's  innate  Immortality,  — 
That  Freedom  only  breathes  through  laws,  — 
And  mind  eternal  is  sole  Cause,  — 
By  priests  of  Egypt  were  defined. 

340 

More  than  six  thousand  years  ago 
Were  framed  the  mythic  tales  we  know. 
Intent  on  civilizing  man, 
And  training  huii  to  live  by  plan, 
"  Saints  "  left  these  tales,  to  teach  and  guide, 
(In  forms  conducive  to  race  pride) 
By  deeds  of  Demi-Gods  before, 
Combined  with  much  of  wisdom's  lore. 
The  tales  inspired  man's  will  to  grow. 


In  "  Uncle  Sam  "  or  "  Jonathan  " 
The  world  sees  our  composite  man. 
John  Bull  and  Japhet,  Ham  and  Shem, 
Such  demi-gods  are,  all  of  them. 
From  some  man's  traits,  the  type  arose, 
By  which  his  people  history  knows. 
Methus'lah  "  lived  "  nine  hundred  years, 
A  shorter  lif  e  now  John  Bull  fears  I 
Not  persons,  "  dynasties  "  we  scan. 
116 


The  Station  of  the  Cross,  A.D.  29,  at  the  "pass-over"  from 
the  "  Lamb  "  to  the  "  Two  Small  Fishes. " 


Surf  OLfnes 

342 

The  back  of  "  Alephant  "  we  're  told 
Once  did  the  world's  vast  rondure  hold. 
Well!    Aleph  marked  the  Taurus  star 
What  time  Sun  rode  in  Taurus'  car. 
This  shows,  six  thousand  years  ago, 
Wise  men  astronomy  did  know. 
Discoverers  of  the  best  we  have 
Our  betters  are,  though  long  in  grave. 
In  vain  we  scorn  those  men  of  old. 

343 

The  moral  law  we  find  deduced 
From  data  Father  Time  produced — 
Catastrophies,  both  great  and  small, 
And  things  that  hap'  to  one  and  all. 
Thus  cosmic  terrors  live  in  rites 
And  ceremonies ;  Scripture  cites, 
In  allegory,  much  that  we 
Find  proved  by  our  astronomy. 
To  guard  this,  secrecy  was  used. 

344 

Both  "  Testament "  and  "  Covenant  " 
The  same  thing  mean,  learning  must  grant. 
The  meaning  of  both  words  is  seen 
Where  ecliptic  and  equator  co-vene. 
Old  Testament  with  the  "  Bull  "  began, 
The  "  Fishes  "  date  the  "  Son  of  Man." 
The  "  Ram  "  of  Exodus  came  between, 
As  from  "  Lamb's  blood  on  door  "  is  seen. 
The  "  Man  with  Pitcher  "  soon  we  '11  chant  I 
117 


Sutf  Xines 

345 

Astronomy  's  here  in  disguise, 
Safe-guarded  for  the  good  and  wise. 
The  "  Bull's  "  two  thousand  years  outran 
Long  ere  the  Exodus  began; 
The  tribes  for  "  Calf  "  as  symbol  longed, 
When  Moses'  absence  was  prolonged. 
They  little  cared  for  calendar, 
When  from  old  home  they  were  afar, — 
And  Aaron  hearkened  to  their  cries. 

346 

Christ-Horus  in  Egypt,  when  the  Sun 
Was  in  the  "  Bull,"  was  full  well  known. 
His  reign  when  Sun  was  in  the  "  Ram  " 
Still  marks  the  seed  of  old  Ab-ram. 
His  reign  in  "  Fishes  "  (Fish-head  mitre) 
Marks  Jesus'  Church  (may  God  unite  Her !) 
Christ's  word  (through  Jesus)  ponder  o'er; 
"  E'en  Abraham  I  AM  before !  " 
Three  times  two  thousand  years  thus  run. 

347 

From  dying  "  Lamb,"  year  twenty-nine, 
The  "  Fish  of  Jonah  "  is  the  sign 

Of  Son  of  Man  and  God's  own  Son. 

To  A.  D.  twenty-one  eighty-one. 

Then  Jesus  can't  supplanted  be 

For  once  for  all  He  set  men  free, 

Revealing  unto  common  eyes, 

The  temple's  ancient  mysteries 
With  sacrament  of  Bread  and  Wine. 
n8 


Surf  Xines 
348 

"  Sweet-Light  "  M.  Arnold  was  reverent,  wise. 

Yet  Christianity  in  his  eyes 
Was  far  too  "  local,"  far  too  "  small  " 
To  stand  for  faith  including  All. 
"  'T  is  something  we  can't  do  without 
"  Nor  with,"  he  cried,  perplexed  with  doubt. 
Such  thought "  Surf  Lines  "  would  seem  to  meet, 
And  Jesus,  the  Christ's  true  faith  repeat, 

Whose  depth  and  breadth  may  well  surprise. 

349 

The  Holy  Church  of  ancient  time 
To  initiates  gave  her  truths  sublime. 

The  simple  folk  received  the  truth 

In  tales  impressive  e'en  to  youth. 

The  Christian  Church  did  long  maintain 

Her  secret  Order,  to  explain 

The  mysteries  of  the  Church  on  earth 

To  men  of  wisdom  and  of  worth, — 
That  order  was  suppressed  by  crime  I 

350 

Where  Higher  Critics,  to  a  man, 

Now  end,  Initiates  once  began. 
Our  Higher  Critic  is  destructive 
Just  where  Initiates  were  constructive. 
Since  opposites  we  bi-une  reckon, 
Both  "  structive,"  these  two  form  one  de-con. 
Yet  "  deacons  "  now  are  seldom  wise 
Enough  to  see  truth  with  two  eyes, 

As  in  the  ancient  Church's  plan. 
119 


Surf  Xines 
351 

The  Temple,  in  Time's  mutations,  failed 
To  keep  alive  its  wisdom  veiled. 

Lest  priceless  things  should  be  forgot, 

Their  letter  was  held  by  the  bigot; 

For  bigotry,  like  arsenic, 

Though  fatal  to  what 's  alive  or  quick, 

Yet  dead  forms  age-long  doth  preserve. 

'T  is  thus,  to  tunes  that  may  deserve, 
Great  truths  through  ignorant  times  have  sailed. 

352 

Wrong-wise  explained,  the  truth  of  creeds 
Wrong-wise  upheld  yet  helps  soul's  needs. 
To  prove  wrong  explanations  wrong, 
But  helps  the  truth  of  creeds  along. 
Traditions,  ignorant,  swept  away — 
Creeds'  metaphysic  's  clear  as  day. 
E'en  matter's  formulas  surprise, 
As  much  as  creeds,  unlearned  eyes. 
All  symbols'  value  lies  in  deeds. 

353 

"  I  know  what  Christians  print  in  ink, 
But  what,  as  Christian,  do  you  think  ?  " 
Thus  said  to  me  a  Jew  one  day. 
"  'Twixt  Christ  and  Buddha,  tell  I  pray, 
The  diff'rence!"  Theosophist  did  ask. 
Thus  I  attempted  "  Surf  Lines'  "  task, 
That  some  weeks'  effort  now  has  cost. 
Or  I  have  won  or  I  have  lost, 
'T  was  pleasure  at  Thought's  springs  to  drink. 
1 20 


Surf  Xines 

354 

The  East  shows  less  of  what  man  can, 
Thus  more  of  instinct,  less  of  plan. 
Compared  with  what  the  animal  does, 
Man  little  power  o'er  body  shows. 
Low  forms  of  life  replace  limb,  head, 
Whose  loss  leaves  man  or  maimed  or  dead. 
Man  matter  rules  in  external  things, 
From  wood  and  steel  evolves  his  wings. 
Here  Christian  nations  lead  the  van. 

355 

The  Orient  teems  with  devotees 
Who  action  'numb  with  philosophies 

That  float  them  high  o'er  all  that  creeps 

In  inert  Matter's  ocean  deeps. 

Over  against  these  Argonauts, 

Alcyonaria  tempt  our  thoughts. 

Ind's  nautili  drift  life  away, 

Christ's  "  coral  workers  "  build  each  day 
Cathedral  isles  defying  seas. 

356 

Faber's  "  Origin  of  Idolatry  " 

(No  matter  what  his  theory) 
Full  copiously  doth  facts  recite 
That  show  all  Faiths  first  had  one  rite. 
'T  is  clear,  now,  Egypt's  Lodge  was  first, 
And  there  the  mysteries  were  rehearsed 
Which  offshoot  Lodges  thence  did  show 
In  India,  Thibet,  Mexico. 

At  one  originally  all  we  see. 

121 


Surt  Xines 

357 

Why  did  they  build  Great  Pyramid? 
"  In  others,  mummied  kings  were  hid ; 

Ergo,  they  piled  Great  Pyramid's  stones 

To  house  a  royal  pharaoh's  bones"  (!) 

Such  reasoning,  if  one  dare  risk, 

As  well  explains  the  obelisk  1 

My  obelisk-thermometer, 

Shows  it  gnomon  of  astronomer? 
"  Heat  measuring  was  obelisk's  purpose,  hid  "  (!) 

358 

Mere  novice  in  Masonic  rites 
In  Pyramid's  tubing  clearly  sights 

Initiation's  galleries 

Combined  with  reference  to  the  skies. 

Intent  to  make  men  good  and  wise 

Is  plainly  shown  to  knowing  eyes ! 

Piazzi  Smyth's  discov'ries  stand; 

His  "  views  "  wide  credence  can't  command — 
The  theme  far  deeper  search  requites. 

359 

When  Lodges  became  separate, 

Their  work  did  differentiate. 
In  Thibet,  Catholic  missioners  found 
So  much  that  stood  on  Christian  ground 
That,  lest  th'  unlearned  it  perplex, 
Th'  "  Report  "  was  placed  on  the  Index 
Expurgatorius,  so-called — 
(In  Purgatory  't  will  be  recalled !) 

Time  was  not  ripe  to  see  things  straight. 
122 


Surf  suites 
360 

Ind's  Chrishna  'rose  from  Lodge  antique 
Whose  source  (like  that  of  Mysteries  Greek) 
Was  Great  Initiation's  pile, 
Still  viewed  at  Gizeh  on  the  Nile. 
Nor  Egypt's  Christ,  nor  Chrishna,  shows 
O'er  plainly  in  what  daily  goes 
Along  in  trade  or  politics, 
Where  greed  and  cunning  intermix; 
But  Buddhist  nations  have  proved  weak. 

36i 

The  public  things  that  most  displease 
Concern  life's  externalities. 

That 't  is  not  feathers  make  the  bird, 

Is  homely  saying  often  heard. 

'Twixt  Buddhist  and  Christian  there  's  within 

A  diff'rence  deeper  far  than  skin. 

That  diff'rence  plainly  shows  to  eyes 

When  we  compare  philosophies; 
Buddhism  shuns  life's  activities. 

362 

The  East  has  never  wanted  time 
In  which  to  work  out  arts  sublime; 

Yet  logic,  and  astronomy, 

Geology  and  chemistry, 

In  crumbled  ruin  mutely  tell 

Where  East  was  left  when  Egypt  fell! 

While  East  slept,  as  in  fairy  tale, 

Columbus,  daring,  hoisted  sail — 
And  Newton,  thought's  vast  heights  did  climb. 
123 


Surf  Xines 

363 

The  West  is  learning  from  the  East 
To  like  what,  home-bred,  sore  displeased. 
Who  but  of  late  scorned  Christian  Lent, 
To  fast  like  yogi  now's  intent; 
Who  'd  not  let  Church  curtail  his  pleasure 
Takes  Hindu  abstinence  without  measure. 
(Thus,  New  York  wedding  near  "  went  to  dickens  " 
When  ship  came  late  with,  foreign  chickens 
Which,  only,  could  give  zest  to  feast  1) 

364 

What 's  foreign  to  us  need  not  be  best! 

The  East  is  yielding  to  the  West. 
The  East  vast  views  of  soul  supplies 
Which  West  will  focus  for  Eastern  eyes. 
When  West  doth  Eastern  thought  digest 
*T  will  pay  East  back  with  interest — 
The  West  ne'er  lacked  essential  truth. 
The  hoary  East  renews  its  youth 

In  Western  garb  becoming  dressed ! 

365 

The  East  is  wondrous  to  Western  eyes — 

She  hypnotizes  serpent-wise. 
Though  East  naught  practical  devise, 
From  West  she  all  her  wants  supplies. 
Her  calm  wins  reverence,  she  takes  our  coin, — 
Our  scriptures  to  her  own  doth  join, 
But  should  she  take  in  all  the  West 
'T  is  sure  the  West  she  '11  ne'er  digest — 

She  '11  conquered  be  by  her  own  prize ! 
124 


Surf  %ines 
366 

There  *s  peril  to  superior  race 

When,  by  inferior,  it  would  trace 
Out  higher  concepts  of  the  soul 
Than  lie  in  its  own  sacred  scroll. 
East  can't,  like  West,  high  thought  condense, 
Though,  spread  out  thin,  East's  looms  immense. 
The  truth  set  forth  in  Bhagavad-Gita, 
The  words  of  Jesus  sum  up  neater — 

Nor  can  neglect  His  words  efface. 

367 

Egyptian  theosophy  doth  teach : — 

"  Throughout  all  spheres'  remotest  reach, 

From  low  to  high  no  good  doth  rise, 

'T  is  high  to  low  all  good  supplies." 

Hence  highest  faith  that  we  can  find 

Extant  in  Western  civilized  mind — 

To  that  faith  we  should  loyal  kneel, 

Defend  and  from  it  seek  our  weal. 
What  West 's  achieved.  West 's  faith  doth  preach. 

368 

By  fruit  it  is  we  know  good  tree ; 
Means  to  good  end  my  faith  must  be. 

From  doubt  and  trial  no  relief 

Is  found  but  in  a  fixed  belief. 

Who  fails  to  fix  belief  in  aught 

Will  nothing  sow,  and  so  reap  naught. 

What,  with  whole  heart  man  believeth  true, 

That  faith  for  him  will  wonders  do 
To  strengthen,  hearten,  make  him  free. 
125 


Surf  %ines 
369 

No  man  can  build  faith  from  the  first, 
He  '11  die  before  he  's  slaked  his  thirst ! 

Who  from  faith's  framework  dares  cut  loose 

Naught  universal  will  produce. 

Hold  fast  to  trunk  of  ancient  tree ; 

Thus  anchored,  enjoy  liberty. 

Improve,  with  zeal,  your  theory 

Of  source  and  end  of  what  you  see, 
But  crave  not  all  to  see  reversed  1 

370 

Doth  someone  ask:  " But  where  start  in?" 

Why  not  where  life  you  did  begin? 
Your  father's  creed  is  in  your  blood — 
In  many  ways  that  makes  for  good ; 
But  heed  all  promptings  of  your  soul 
Toward  better  place  to  serve  the  whole. 
If  all  "  field-service  "  you  deem  rash, 
Judiciously  contribute  cash — 

Though  Satan  most  fears  priest  who  's  thin ! 

371 

In  Bhagavad-Gita,  "  One  "  and  "  Two," 

Man's  duty  to  his  kin  we  view. 
In  "One,"  Arjuna  doth  describe 
The  ills  of  war  'twixt  tribe  and  tribe : 
"  With  loss  of  tribe  goes  loss  of  faith 
And  family  ties,  too,  face  their  death." 
In  "Two  "  doth  Chrishna  make  reply: 
"  Whate'er  exists,  though  slain,  can't  die ;" 

"  When  your  caste  calls,  your  duty  do  I  " 
126 


Surf  %incs 
372 

"  'T  is  not  things  outward  make  the  Jew;" 
The  same  's  of  Christian,  Buddhist,  true. 
What  makes  one  weak,  another  strong, 
Doth  not  at  last  to  blood  belong. 
Of  outer  turmoil  naught  is  found 
When  Ocean's  deepest  depths  we  sound. 
What  underlies  the  Saxon  will 
E'er  's  proved  the  strongest,  proves  so  still. 
Enduring  things  are  hid  from  view. 

373 

Lo!  Egypt's  geometric  Angles  go 
With  Saxons  ("  Isaac-sons  ")  to  and  fro; 
For  work  of  Saxons  (Stone  men)  blends 
With  lofty  geometric  ends. 
E'en  Jacob's  pillow,  formed  of  stone 
Still 's  held  by  Anglo-Saxon  throne. 
The  Anglo-Saxon  spirit  's  stood 
Age-long,  despite  mixed  strains  of  blood. 
Soil,  spirit  and  speech  stamp  race,  we  know. 

374 

To  Jew,  Christ  Macrocosmic  lies 
Enthroned  above  all  suns  in  skies. 
Sometime  in  splendor,  He,  as  King, 
Millenial  glory  to  earth  will  bring. 
To  Christian,  such  as  St.  Clement, 
"  Not  being  cosmic,"  Jesus  went 
'Mong  men  "  as  cosmic,"  thus  to  show 
How  men  God's  Christ,  within,  may  know. 
Each,  Jew  and  Christian,  t'  other  implies. 
127 


Surf  %tnes 

375 

If  God  as  object  you  would  view, 
Remark  the  science  of  the  Jew. 

Jehovah,  central,  doth  command, 

Circumferent  th'  Elohim  stand. 

Diameter's  ratio  to  circle  lies 

Personified  here  in  the  skies. 

Music — Subjective  Christian  art — 

Makes  man  feel  God  within  the  heart ; 
The  truth  that  Jesus  did  renew. 

376 

Bi-unity  (though  sore  abused  I) 

'Twixt  Jew  and  Christian's  \incon-fused. 

The  Christian  Bible  is  the  tether 

That  binds  the  two  for  aye  together. 

The  Testaments,  both  Old  and  New, 

Unite  these  opposites  in  one  view. 

Though  strife  o'er  "  Christ  in  Man  "  's  not  done, 

In  music  we  're  already  one, — 
True  music  ne'er  true  souls  a-mused. 

377 

Both  Moses  and  Aaron  in  Egypt  learned 
The  Temple  wisdom  that  in  them  burned. 
The  Karast  (or  Christ)  Whom  well  they  knew, 
As  Adon,  the  Bible  brings  to  view. 
Though  Jew  fought  Jew  in  days  of  old, 
As  Christians  have  fought  wars  untold, 
*T  is  ever  goods  or  politics 
O'er  which  his  faith  man  contradicts 
With  hand  against  his  brother  turned. 
128 


Surf  OUnes 

373; 

The  Revelation  Jesus  made 

Occult  Egyptian  truth  displayed. 
In  fundamentals,  now  we  see 
That  Hindu  and  Jew  with  Egypt  agree, 
Though  thought  of  different  type  of  mind 
Developed  by  Jew  and  Hind'  we  find. 
James  and  Peter  by  Jerusalem  stood, 
While  Paul  Egyptian  thought  reviewed. 

Initiate  Gnostics  a  role  here  played. 

379 

A  link  'tween  Jew  and  Egyptian  lies 

In  what  Jews  learned  from  Babylon's  wise. 

E'en  Zoroaster  we  may  see 

Outcropping  in  the  Pharisee. 

The  Christian  Fathers  admitted,  free, 

Their  debt  to  Greek  philosophy. 

The  Sibylline  Books  showed  time  was  ripe 

For  synthesis  of  a  new  stripe. 
Crass  ign'rance  alone  this  truth  denies. 

380 

Converted,  Paul's  great  synthesis 
Embraced  truths  hid  or  held  amiss. 
Hence  Paul,  as  at  Jerusalem  viewed, 
By  Peter  was  "  hardly  "  understood. 
Much  that  now  seems  Patristic  juggle 
Was  but  amalgamation's  struggle. 
In  midst  of  all  the  verbal  strife 
Men  died  the  death,  men  lived  the  life, — 
True  Christian  faith  was  shown  in  this. 
129 


Surf 


381 

To  Buddhist  the  Ideal  's  the  Real, 

The  Real  alone  's  the  Jew's  Ideal. 
To  Jew  Christ  comes  but  seen  by  eyes 
With  fire  and  trumpet  in  the  skies. 
Yet  if  God's  Reflex  fills  the  sky 
His  glory  must  within  us  lie. 
Reflections  of  man's  mind  and  soul 
Show  how  each  man  reflects  the  Whole. 

Within,  without,  All  's  One,  we  feel. 

382 

What  's  truly  Real  is  e'er  Ideal, 

The  true  Ideal  alone  is  "  Real." 
Material  "  realities  " 
Involve  mind  in  perplexities. 
Though  Christian,  Jew  and  Buddhist  fight 
'T  is  but  as  blinded  by  the  Light. 
They  shield  their  eyes  with  colored  glasses 
And  bray  o'er  colors  like  dull  asses. 

To  I  AM,  "  Light  of  World,"  all  kneel. 

383 

'Tween  Protestant,  Jew  and  Catholic, 

The  difference  pierces  to  the  quick. 

Yet  some  are  parts  and  One  's  the  whole  — 

What  's  One,  each  answers  to  his  soul. 

No  part  may  say  to  other,  indeed, 

"  Of  thee  "  (as  Paul  writes)  "  I  've  no  neec 

Who  some  religion  has,  at  least 

In  that  doth  differ  from  dumb  beast. 

This  rose  bright  blows  'mid  thorns  that  prick. 

130 


Suet  3Linea 

384 

To  make  Religion's  orchestra, 

Forms  most  diverse  together  play. 
Though  differing  widely  in  His  sight, 
The  Leader  will  have  all  play  right. 
Thus  e'en  the  sound  of  fetish  drum 
Thrills  woods  with  sense  of  things  to  come. 
Some  forms  stand  near,  some  far  from  Throne, 
The  ensemble  's  heard  by  God  alone 

In  Man's  devotions,  night  and  day. 

385 

Enough  of  externalities, 

Affinities  and  differences ! 
With  clear  eye  let  us  strive  to  see 
What  Jesus  has  done  for  humanity. 
He  stopped  priest's  shambles  and  the  suttee — 
From  blood-stained  rites  hath  set  man  free. 
For  Home,  State,  Faith,  though  Christians  fight, 
To  kill 's  not  worship,  e'en  when  right. 

War  more  humane  grows  by  degrees. 

386 

Where  reeking  altar  once  did  rise, 
The  holy  spire  points  to  the  skies. 

Where  gongs  once  drowned  stark  horror's  yells, 

Now  chime  the  sweet-toned  Sunday  bells. 

By  suffering,  still,  redemption  's  won, 

But  death  to  sin  doth  now  atone. 

He  who  on  Calvary  bled  and  died, 

Hath  stayed  long  ages'  bloody  tide. 
Now  justice  sees  with  mercy's  eyes. 


Surf  Xines 

387 

From  prehistoric  times  has  come 

To  us  full  many  a  precious  crumb 
Prepared  all  minds  to  appetize, 
And  thenceforth,  silently  make  wise. 
At  history's  dawn  we  see  all  wrecked 
That  once  was  framed  truth  to  protect. 
All  India,  Greece  and  Mexico 
Those  ancient  tales,  distorted  show, 

Oft  sensual,  horrid,  now  become. 

388 

The  "  Aryan  "  inroad  from  the  north 
O'erturning  all,  destroyed  the  worth 

Of  Egyptian  tales  that  marked  the  birth 

Of  civic  order  o'er  all  earth. 

Interpretation's  key  thus  lost, 

Each  tale  survived  but  as  the  ghost 

Of  former  self.    Then  poets  made 

Them  into  "  legends  "  that  displayed 
Mere  wit  and  fancy,  from  thenceforth. 

389 

'T  was  "  Aryans  "  (Hewitt's  "  Myths  "  doth  show) 
Who  dealt  these  tales  the  fatal  blow. 

Their  moral,  scientific  sense 

Was  lost  on  "  Aryan  "  mind,  then  dense. 

Great  symbols,  now  personified, 

Became  men,  grossly  magnified. 

To  Plato,  myth  meant  "  wicked  tale," 

As  Ingersoll  thought  Jonah's  whale  I 
No  fact  as  deep  as  myth  can  go. 
132 


Surf  Xines 

390 

Who  minus  whale,  can't  save  his  soul 
That  whale  should  surely  swallow  whole  I 

Who  'd  lose  his  faith  for  that  one  whale, 

In  common-sense  must  surely  fail ! 

Meanwhile,  astronomy  doth  show 

A  meaning  to  that  whale  few  know; 

"  Cetus,"  with  "  Fishes  "  in  accord, 

Doth  mark  the  era  of  our  Lord — 
The  star-groups  speak,  from  pole  to  polet 

391 

The  Aryan  "  race  "  is  a  modern  myth 
Of  which  Philology  's  the  pith. 

But  Abel's  works  have  clearly  shown 

Egyptian  back  of  all  tongues  known. 

The  opposites  involved  in  thought 

Egyptian  always  forward  brought. 

Thus,  if  we  would  make  "  fast  "  a  horse, 

He  may  be  whipped,  or  tied,  of  course : 
Egyptian  thought 's  here  shown  forthwith. 

392 

That  cleavers  cleave,  we  know;  but  how? 

Man  "  cleaves  "  to  man,  "  cleaves  "  bough  from 

bough. 

This  philosophic  speech  exact 
Was  once  on  Nile  a  living  fact. 
In  Sanscrit,  too,  Egyptian  's  traced, 
But,  as  in  Western  tongues,  defaced. 
Who  knows  Egyptian,  ever  feels 
All  other  speech  "  run  down  at  heels." 

Thought-fitting  speech  is  outworn  now! 
133 


Surf  Xinca 

393 

Egypt,  alone,  preserved  a  thread 
Of  life  in  things  elsewhere  long  dead. 
When  out  of  Egypt,  God  called  His  Son, 
Recovery's  work  we  see  begun. 
"  Signs  "  hidden  long  from  prudent,  wise, 
Were  now  revealed  to  suckling's  eyes. 
The  suckling  ne'er  could  grasp  the  whole, 
But  gladly  heard  what  fed  his  soul, 
And  reverently  received  Life's  Bread. 

394 

Some  strongly  hold  the  mind  of  child 

Is  by  the  Bible  stories  spoiled. 

He  who  thinks  thus  quite  plainly  shows 

How  little  he  the  child-mind  knows. 

Imagination  is  its  joy, 

Alike  hi  play  or  talk  or  toy. 

Full  many  noble  lives  have  sprung 

From  Bible  stories  said  or  sung, 

In  childhood  sweet  and  undefiled. 

395 

Imagination  life  inspires, 

Ideals  purify  desires. 

Man  lives  by  law  or  else  by  love, 
And  love  stands  ever  law  above. 
The  statutes  that  the  law  enacts 
Are  based  upon  hard,  cold,  dry  facts. 
Love  sees  with  optimistic  eyes, 
The  soul  of  love  in  mercy  lies. 

Imagination  feeds  love's  fires. 
134 


Surf  %ine« 

396 

Man's  understanding  is  the  foe 
Of  what  through  reason  he  may  know. 
Imagination  is  the  friend 
And  prop  of  reason  to  life's  end. 
For  reason  never  deems  aught  known 
Ere,  clearly  imaged,  it  is  shown. 
A  natural  child  e'er  shows  the  mood 
To  welcome  images  of  good, 
Nor  asks  If  tale  or  toy  be  "  so." 

397 

Who  '11  make  a  child  his  Christmas  keep 
With  Santa  Claus  banned  from  his  sleep, 
We  can't  expect  to  keep  his  paws 
Off  loftier  forms  than  Santa  Claus. 
May  n't  Goodness  be  personified 
When  human  pride  is  deified? 
The  truths  that  in  our  bosom  glow, 
How  but  by  type  shall  others  know? 
With  beast  why  see?    With  beast  why  reap? 

398 

"  Of  such  is  heaven's  kingdom,"  said 
The  Christ,  with  hands  upon  the  head 
Of  little  child.  Through  every  stage 
Of  evolution,  to  our  age, 
Each  body  goes  ere  it  is  born, 
From  'Plasm  to  the  ape  we  scorn. 
Should  e'en  a  single  link  be  lost 
The  body  maimed  in  life  is  tossed. 
Thought,  too,  the  historic  path  must  tread. 
135 


Surf  Xtnes 

399 

"  As  twig  is  bent  the  tree  's  inclined," 
The  feeling,  in  the  child  defined, 

Who  lacks,  will  later  haidly  find 

Religion  open  to  his  mind. 

All  understanding  stands  aghast 

Before  the  Unknowable  so  vast. 

'Less  understanding  reason  heed, 

Reason  can't  help  it  in  its  need. 
Reason  and  faith  are  intertwined. 

400 

Ripe  Ibsen  made  a  start,  we  know, 

His  Julian,  Christ  above,  to  show. 
He  sought  the  facts,  and  at  the  end 
Chagrined  e'en  Archer,  his  strong  friend. 
This  "  Sagittary  "  deemed  Ibsen  weak 
To  thus  find  Christ,  when  he  did  seek 
A  pagan,  to  restore  to  earth 
The  things  that  make  life  living,  worth. 

Sad  I  Ibsen  Archer  did  outgrow! 

401 

Eusebius's  History  shows 

How  Gospels  and  Epistles  'rose. 
The  Bible,  holy  men  of  old, 
Did  write  as  by  God's  Spirit  told. 
Lo  I  Virgil,  Dante,  Milton,  all, 
Upon  the  heavenly  muses  call. 
Said  Walter  Scott,  "  I  plainly  see, 
My  best  work  's  done  not  by,  through  me — " 

A  truth  that  each  great  artist  knows ! 
136 


"Ripe  Ibsen,"  author  of  " Emperor  and  Galilean." 


Surf  Xtnes 
402 

The  Power  by  which  we  food  digest, 
Shall  it  not  help  man  think  his  best? 
Call  Bible  but  a  fairy  tale; 
In  writing  it,  did  God's  help  fail? 
'T  was  Spirit  divined  spirit's  food, 
To  tame  the  fierce,  refine  the  rude. 
When  heart  is  sick  with  all  that 's  real, 
God's  spirit  shows  man  the  Ideal, — 
Man  does  his  part — God  does  the  rest! 

403 

Of  Ewald,  the  critic,  we  are  told, 
(Though  heretic  him  many  hold), 

New  Testament  he  deemed  most  worth 

For  wisdom,  of  all  books  on  earth. 

Its  spirit,  he  did  warmly  own, 

Came  straight  to  man  from  God's  own  throne. 

He  saw  its  letter  did  but  kill; 

He  found  its  spirit  living  still, 
And  worthy  to  be  writ  in  gold. 

404 

The  Bible  helps  man's  soul  to  thrive, 
No  "  priestcraft  "  could  such  work  contrive. 
There  's  warmth  within  its  pages  old, 
Neglect  it  and  the  life  grows  cold. 
'T  is  like  an  animal  of  earth 
Whose  fur  alone  is  great  in  worth. 
We  prize  the  tales  that  make  its  skin, 
But  treasure  most  the  life  within — 
Yet  o'er  its  letter  man  will  strive ! 
137 


Surt 
405 

Its  spirit  is  a  tongue  of  fire, 

Inspiring  good  and  high  desire. 
It  heeds  the  weak  and  comfort  brings, 
O'er  mourner  spreads  the  Almighty  wings. 
It  bad  men  makes  more  wicked  still, 
Inflaming  their  own  evil  will. 
They  scoff  at  it  with  base  delight, 
And  fling  themselves  in  endless  night, 

Self-willed  and  poisoned  through  with  ire. 

406 

'T  is  known  that  cultured  man's  best  food 
Is  just  what 's  best  for  people  crude. 
The  Bible  still  is  just  as  good 
As  when  the  walls  of  Luxor  stood. 
There  's  much  that 's  cooked  to  modern  taste 
In  which  the  substance  goes  to  waste. 
Religion  "  superfine,"  like  bread 
Too  white,  but  leaves  man  underfed ; 
By  Hygiene,  white  bread  is  tabooed. 

407 

The  songs  of  birds  ofttimes  come  near 
To  what  in  music  we  may  hear. 

Yet  bird  songs  never  reach  the  art 

That  in  man's  music  thrills  the  heart. 

In  human  institutions,  art 

And  nature  widely  are  apart. 

True  manhood's  plane  surmounts  the  real, 

And  shapes  all  life  by  an  ideal 
From  which,  once  felt,  no  soul  can  veer. 
138 


Surf  Xines 
408 

Pray  read  "  Disciple  of  a  Saint." 
A  Saint  's  but  one  who  '11  toil  and  faint 
To  help  the  world  at  large  to  feel 
That  the  Ideal 's  all  that 's  real. 
Of  matter,  he  who  knows  enough 
Must  doubt  if  it  is  even  "  stuff  "; 
For  stuff,  with  vortex,  hard  connects, 
Though  science  "  stuff  us  "  till  it  vex. 
Queer  sort  of  world  doth  science  paint. 

409 

In  truth,  none  live  upon  the  real, 
What  each  man  does,  shows  his  ideal. 
Ideals  live  in  idols  strange, 
From  words  to  images,  that  range. 
Unless  we  can  the  thought  unfetter, 
We  idols  make  of  word  and  letter. 
Devout  fools'  folly  often  brings 
Contempt  on  Signs  of  sacred  things 
Toward  which  high  minds  most  reverence  feel. 

410 

Truths  Plato  learned  by  study  hard, 
Are  known  to  babes  from  sacred  bard. 
The  study  of  the  Bible  shows 
The  height  of  all  that  reason  knows. 
Therein,  in  guise  of  simple  tale 
Tune's  cycles  stand  within  a  veil. 
Each  miracle  shocks  common-sense 
To  stir  the  mind  to  thought  intense 
On  what  it  holds  for  man's  regard. 
139 


Surf  Xinca 
4x1 

'T  is  said,  "  Christ  never  trod  a  path 
Through  waters  " ;  but,  of  human  wrath 
His  power  to  tread  the  angry  waves 
Whose  fury  naught  but  goodness  braves — 
Of  this,  some  men  will  nothing  hear; 
They  will  not  heed  such  "  fancies  mere." 
Their  minds,  like  crooked  glass,  reflect 
But  what  all  must  with  scorn  reject. 
"  Who  hath  not,  loseth  what  he  hath." 

412 

The  score  of  heaven's  harmony 

Spread  out  in  nightly  sky  we  see, 
In  notes  of  gold  on  field  of  blue, 
To  him  who  reads,  a  rapturous  view ! 
The  ancients  who  the  scheme  did  frame 
To  every  star-group  gave  a  name, 
That  deathless  writing  doth  record 
The  story  of  our  Blessed  Lord. 

To  such  high  theme  approach  now  we. 

413 

O  Virgin  Pure,  mysterious  shrine 
Whence  issued  once  radiance  divine, 
Celestial  type  of  motherhood, 
By  man  adored,  not  understood ! 
But  for  what 's  shadowed  forth  in  thee 
God's  thoughts  ne'er  had  reality 
Put  on,  nor  had  creative  act 
E'er  realized  those  thoughts  in  fact, 
And  caused  the  starry  orbs  to  shine. 
140 


Surf  Xines 

414 

Pure  Virgin  I    Through  eternity 

Thou  "  star  of  heaven  "  and  earth's  blue  "  sea," 
The  honey,  thou,  that  Samson  found 
In  Leo's  carcass  to  abound. 
The  riddle  of  the  Egyptian  Sphynx 
Grows  clear  to  him  who  deeply  thinks 
Of  one  whose  veil  no  mortal  raised, 
As  Victoress  over  Leo  praised, 

And  Mother  of  the  Sun  we  see. 

415 

Celestial  matrix  whence  came  forth 
Through  chaos  fallen  from  the  north, 
The  Daystar  with  His  healing  ray 
To  renovate  the  earth  for  aye ! 
From  thee  we  learn  that  God  is  not 
In  gravel  drift,  but  sunshine  sought. 
Geology  confirms  the  story,  Lordl 
On  high  writ  in  Thy  starry  Word — 
Most  ancient  record  of  our  earth. 

416 

To  "  Evolution  "  there  's  mystery 
In  what  happ'd  "  Just  'fore  history.11 

'Neath  same  conditions,  as  they  'd  evolved, 

All  huge  mammalia  and  birds  resolved 

To  naught  in  era  Pleistocene. 

(When,  after  chaos,  on  the  scene 

Lo !  Adam  steps  forth  to  begin, 

Outside  "  lost  Eden,"  fight  to  win 
His  daily  bread  with  drudgery.) 
141 


Surf  lines 
417 

Had  ruin  covered  half  the  earth, 
Then,  glacial  theory  had  worth. 

But  since,  at  once,  't  was  everywhere, 

This  explanation  melts  in  air. 

So,  now,  some  think  men  shot  all  dead 

With  weapon  known  as  arrowhead. 

To  this  antiquity  replies; 

Men,  too  were  shot  by  flints  from  skies, 
That  riddled  earth  from  out  the  north. 

418 

The  Peruvian  "  Field  of  Ages  "  shows 
How  thousands  perished  from  like  blows. 
Each  skull  was  punctured  at  the  top 
By  piece  of  flint  that  naught  could  stop. 
Peruvian  legend  old  did  tell 
How,  "  At  review,  an  army  fell 
Before  the  very  Inca's  eyes, 
Struck  down  by  flints  from  out  the  skies,' 
Thus  fact  with  "  legend  "  ever  goes. 

419 

Lo  i  now  in  Anglia,  East,  they  find 

Skull  prediluvian  of  man  refined. 
Men's  bones  fixed  fast  to  roof  of  caves 
Show  they  were  swept  within  by  waves ; 
Woods  petrified  with  nuts  on  trees 
Prove  Wreck  with  Hallowe'en  agrees ; 
The  roar  of  matter  earthward  thrown 
Still  thunders  in  church-organ  tone ; 

Thus  sense  of  symbols  is  divined. 
142 


Surt 


420 

Though  e'en  the  Church  has  long  forgot 
What  made  Job's  "  sea  boil  like  a  pot," 
'T  is  shown  by  geologic  talk 
When  science  would  account  for  chalk;  — 
"  'T  was  formed  when  icebergs  once  did  freeze 
And  float  around  in  boiling  seas!" 
Himself  a  type  of  World,  Job  lies 
In  boils  and  ashes  'fore  our  eyes. 
Prove  "Job  "  ne'er  lived  —  his  Book  dies  not  ! 

421 

Said  Cuvier,  "  Geology 

In  records  of  the  rock  doth  see 
That  some  five  thousand  years  ago 
The  earth  received  a  body  blow." 
And  Alfred  Russell  Wallace,  too, 
In  "  World  of  Life  "  brings  to  our  view 
How  sudden  ruin  once  befell 
All  life,  as  it  was  prospering  well. 

"  The  fact  still  seeks  its  theory."  (!) 

422 

Read  "  Revelation."    There  revealed 

Initiations  are,  concealed 

From  generations  and  from  ages, 
But  now  disclosed  in  sacred  pages. 
The  Pleistocene  catastrophe 
Sublimely  figured  here  we  see. 
With  Revelation  we  should  read 
"  Descent  to  Hell  "  in  the  Aeneid. 

By  such  rites  wisdom's  sons  were  healed. 
143 


Surf  Xtnes 
423 

The  ritual,  Revelation  gives; 

In  Gospel  and  Epistle  lives 
The  moral  teaching,  as  deduced 
From  spectacles  in  Lodge  produced. 
More  Pleistocene  details  are  found 
In  Isaiah,  Joel,  Amos  t'  abound. 
Read  in  past  tense,  their  pictures  seem 
But  touches  faint,  of  their  grand  theme ; 

What  ruin  fallen  man  survives! 

434 

(The  "  Waw  Conversive  "  theory 

Beclouds  all,  here,  with  mystery. 
By  it,  where  prophet  past  tense  used, 
Translated,  future  's  introduced. 
And  so  for  prophets*  "  It  hath  been," 
"  It  shall  be  "  everywhere  is  seen. 
From  facts  of  past  recalled  to  view 
The  prophet  future  lessons  drew. 

No  past  is  future  history!) 

425 

(And  lo,  a  modern  mystery! 

In  "  Pilgrim's  Progress,"  history 
Shows  Bunyan  somehow  had  recovered- 
Two  hundred  years  ere  't  was  discovered ! 
The  ritual  of  Egypt's  "  Book  of  Dead." 
In  Gypsy  camps  ofttimes,  't  is  said, 
The  Tinker  with  Gypsies  did  converse 
And  long-forgotten  things  rehearse, 

Which  they  preserved  in  memory.) 
144 


Suet  Xines 

4*6 

A  Jew,  agnostic,  said  to  me ; 

"  Naught  great  but  great  men  can  I  see." 
Who  follows  this  into  the  skies 
Sees  Christ,  Sun  of  our  souls  arise. 
In  every  mortal  man  is  shown 
That  God  and  Man,  through  Christ,  are  One 
Though  differing  vastly  in  degree, 
In  Essence  One  eternally. 

To  live  this  saves  man,  sets  him  free. 

427 

Spectrum  analysis  doth  show 

In  stars  above  what 's  here  below. 

'T  is  thus  we  study  man  to  find 

What 's  in  the  universal  mind. 

In  our  own  consciousness  we  see 

Reflected  there  the  Trinity 

Of  Subject,  Object  and  the  One 

Proceeding  both  from  "  Father,  Son." 
Thus  God  's  not  far  from  us,  we  know. 

428 

"  An  honest  man  's  God's  noblest  work  "? 

From  this  true  reverence  must  shirk. 
"  An  honest  God  's  Man's  noblest  work  " — 
Herein  true  Christian  faith  doth  lurk. 
Earth's  nights  turn  all  things  upside  down, 
As  was  in  the  Dark  Ages  shown, 
When  'fore  God  distant  bowing  knee, 
Thus  Christianity  we  see 

Her  base,  "  To  God  through  Man  "  invert. 

10  145 


Surf  OLines 
429 

"  Abaramon,"  Egyptian  priest,  thus  taught: 
"  The  errors  of  a  thing  are  naught. 
To  rightly  judge  of  anything 
Its  weakness  do  not  forward  bring; 
Do  not  from  failures  judge  an  art, 
Or  aught  in  which  weak  man  has  part; 
God's  Essence  He  to  man  supplies  — 
Man's  inexpertness  don't  despise. 
The  sacred  symbols  work  without  thought  !  '  ' 

430 

"  For  errors  all  in  theurgic  technique 

Blame  influences  inferior,  weak. 
Superior  knowledge  shows  real  being 
While  ignorance  sinks  down  to  non-being. 
Man's  place  upon  the  spiritual  plane 
He  shows  by  what  he  may  retain 
Of  holy  Light  and  holy  Air 
Invoked  within  the  House  of  Prayer, 

When  we  illumination  seek." 


When  Porphyry  asked  the  use  of  prayer, 
Abammon  answered  thus  with  care  : 
"  Prayer  fans  our  spark  of  Being  Divine, 
Which  then  would  fain  its  great  Source  join  ; 
By  prayer  we  're  to  communion  led 
With  the  All-Power  and  spiritually  fed. 
Despite  our  human  imperfection 
We  then  share  the  Divine  Perfection, 
And  thus  inbreathe  celestial  air." 
146 


Surf  fctnes 
432 

"  The  restless  Greeks  e'er  innovate 

And  without  ballast,  fluent  prate. 
Egyptians  were  the  first  of  men 
Allotted  the  Divine  to  ken. 
The  divine  nature  doth  not  change — 
Hence  rites  accept  naught  new  or  strange, 
But  aye  retain  the  archaic  word 
In  which  the  faith  at  first  was  heard, 

For  something  's  lost  when  we  translate." 

433 

"  The  Egyptian  discipline  leads  the  soul 
To  the  Creator  of  the  All, 

The  One,  the  Good,  in  whom  we  see, 

On  one  side  the  Divinity, 

On  the  other  our  humanity, 

The  two  combined  in  unity; 

Divinity  'fore  Thought  subsists 

But  in  unity  with  man  exists." 
Abammon  thus  summed  up  the  whole. 

434 

A  genius  wrote  the  Hamlet  play, 
To  him  we  proudly  reverence  pay. 
Who  acts  the  melancholy  Dane 
He  too,  our  homage  deep  may  gain. 
But  what  of  Calvary's  tragedy? 
The  Drama  of  all  history! 
Can  man  from  Hamlet  wisdom  learn, 
And  JESUS  not  cause  his  heart  to  burn? 
Alas!  So  runs  the  world,  they  say. 
147 


Surf  XtncB 

435 

Three  holy  kings  of  magic  came 

Once  to  a  Babe  in  Bethlehem. 
When  called  from  Egypt,  He  'd  learned  well 
What  Temple  doctors  could  not  tell. 
He  perfect  was,  e'en  to  the  loss 
Of  His  dear  life  upon  the  cross. 
Thus  "  Christ-ened,"  unto  Him  was  given 
A  name  o'er  all  in  earth  or  heaven — 

Now  millions  bow  before  that  name ! 

436 

His  Soul,  one  was,  with  God  the  Father, 
Each  man  on  earth  He  called  his  brother. 
He  named  us  "  Branches  of  the  Vine." 
And  with  us  supped  on  Bread  and  wine — 
His  "  Body  and  His  Blood,"  He  said, 
As  wrath  of  man  broke  on  His  head. 
A  Judas  realized  His  fears, 
And  Peter  fought,  and  shed  hot  tears. 
Like  to  this  Man  was  e'er  another  t 

437 

Though  Jesus  persecution  knew 

At  hands  of  Roman  and  of  Jew, 
He  never  thought  or  knew  or  felt 
Worse  pain  than  Inquisition  dealt. 
God's  Christ  reveals  to  man  Our  Father 
And  shows  each  man  to  all  as  brother. 
Whoe'er  with  malice  gives  distress, 
Him  Christ  'fore  God  will  ne'er  confess. 

By  love  Christ's  Church  Old  Rome  o'erthrew. 
148 


Surf  Xine* 
438 

With  Christ-in-God,  to  "  sympathize," 

Impossible  is  to  human  eyes. 
Great  souls  have  often  given  life 
Devotedly  in  deadly  strife. 
Of  Jesus,  shedding  bloody  tears, 
No  feeling  mind  indifferent  hears. 
God's  Christ,  in  Jesus  incarnate, 
Sustained  Him  through  His  mortal  state. 

Thus  Jesus,  Way,  Truth,  Life  supplies. 

439 

The  Words  of  Jesus  face  us  still; 

He  came  (as  Lord  Christ)  to  fulfill. 
The  "  clay  and  spittle,"  was  not  His, 
'T  was  used  by  priests  of  Semiramis. 
The  "  Heart  of  Virgin  pierced  by  sword  " 
Like  Easter,  comes  from  Astarte's  Word. 
Our  Protestant  Testament  at  home 
Holds  much  we  "  heathen  "  see  in  Rome! 

Thus,  strain  at  gnats,  men  ever  will. 

440 

E'en  "  El  "  Osiris  (L'azarus) 

Though  then  deemed  dead  (as  now  by  us), 
But  slumbered,  to  our  dear  Lord's  eyes, 
Who  loved  him,  wept  and  bade  him  rise. 
Then  Jesus  prayed  not  for  God's  ear, 
"  But  that  those  standing  by  might  hear." 
Not  oft  His  kingdom's  mysteries 
Did  Jesus  thus  show  to  common  eyes, — 

'T  was  with  disciples  He  'd  them  discuss. 
149 


Surt  Xtnes 
441 

Old  Testament  in  Adon  doth  Christ  disclose, 
Through  Jesus,  man  the  Father  knows. 
St.  Paul  (once  by  Gamaliel  taught) 
Returning  from  Arabia,  brought 
Word  what  he  'd  found  "  for  ages  hid; 
Christ,  glory's  hope,  Gentiles  amid." 
Eusebius  says  Christ  oft  did  appear 
When  earth  was  o'erwhelmed  with  fear — 
"  In  form  of  man  God's  Christ  then  shows." 

442 

O  Church  of  Christ,  thou  river  vast, 
Whose  waves  shall  flow  while  Time  doth  last, 
Thy  mighty  current  yet  doth  pour 
Through  the  same  channels  as  of  yore. 
Thy  waters  bear  bright  golden  sands 
Through  many  climes  and  many  lands, 
And  e'en  have  overflowed  their  bounds 
In  many  pools  on  alien  grounds, 
Both  now  and  in  all  ages  past. 

443 

In  thee  the  continuity 

Of  noblest  human  thought  we  see. 
Kingdoms  and  peoples  come  and  go, 
Their  mind  and  soul  through  thee  we  know. 
As  now  thy  sons  love  one  another, 
So  each  must  love  his  ancient  brother. 
Both  Time  and  Space  thou  dost  remove, 
And  bind  all  ages  fast  in  love. 

Thou  art  the  flower  of  history. 
150 


Surt  Xfneg 

444 

From  east  to  west,  from  pole  to  pole, 
The  Bread  of  Life  thou  feed'st  the  soul. 
Thou  bind'st  us  to  our  loved  ones  gone 
To  that  bright  realm  where  God  's  the  Sun. 
By  rite  and  ceremony,  still, 
Thou  dost  inspire  the  human  will 
With  love  of  God  and  love  of  man, 
As  ancient  holy  men  did  plan, 
Inspired  by  God's  light  in  the  soul. 

445 

O  Church  of  Christ !    Through  ages  past 
Man's  frailties  over  thee  have  cast 
A  smoke  and  pall  of  ignorance, 
That  hardly  left  to  thee  a  chance. 
But  this  best  proves  Christ's  promise  sure, 
That,  built  on  rock,  thou  shalt  endure; 
For  now  again  thou  dost  emerge 
Full  able  to  withstand  the  surge, 
While  human  rage  'gainst  thee  shall  last. 

446 

There  never  was  a  time  when  all 
Mankind  would  hearken  to  thy  call; 
No  age  such  millions  saw  as  now 
With  reverence  before  thee  bow. 
Internal  diff'rences  and  strife 
No  longer  peril  human  life. 
More  Christ-like  Christians  live  each  day 
In  faith  that  God  wrongs  will  repay. 
Now,  pagan  empires  yield  or  fall. 


Surf  Xincs 

447 

O  Holy  Church!    Thou  witness,  true 

Of  all  the  best,  man  ever  knew; 
By  creed  and  form  and  mystic  rite, 
Floating  high  truths  through  darkest  night ; 
The  simplest  child  who  follows  thee, 
At  one  with  sage  and  seer  may  be ; 
And  sweet  and  pure  through  life  may  go, 
With  conscience  clean  as  driven  snow, 

And  spirit  bathed  in  heaven's  dew. 

448 

We  love  thy  altar  and  thy  dome, 
Thy  lectern,  with  the  sacred  tome ; 

Thy  lofty  arch  and  buttressed  pile, 

Thy  storied  panes  and  hallowed  aisle. 

A  Presence  high  is  surely  felt 

By  all  who  have  devoutly  knelt 

Communing  with  the  God  within 

Our  very  soul,  His  grace  to  win. 
'T  is  here  the  soul  finds  her  true  home. 

449 

Eternal  God !    We  worship  Thee 
Though  veiled  to  sight  in  mystery. 

The  sole  reality  we  know 

Behind  this  fair  world's  fleeting  show. 

The  Essence  of  all  Being,  Thou, 

Whence  Conscious  Life  through  Time  doth  flow 

Throughout  all  Space  or  far  or  near ; 

'Fore  whom  we  bow  in  love  and  fear ; 
We  live  and  move  and  breathe  in  Thee. 
152 


1 A  Presence  high  is  surely  felt 
By  all  who  have  devoutly  knelt — " 


Surf  Uines 
450 

Eternal  Son  of  God,  His  Word 

In  Thee,  incarnate,  blessed  Lord! 
Who  patiently  did'st  suffer  all, 
Before  Thee  on  our  knees  we  fall. 
Within  each  heart,  Thou,  Christ,  dost  dwell 
Its  Lord  (if  heaven),  its  Judge  (if  hell). 
Thy  teaching  shows  us  how  we  may 
Resist  all  evil,  day  by  day, 

If  we  but  speak  Thy  mighty  Word. 


O  Holy  Ghost!  in  substance  One 

With  God  the  Father,  God  the  Son, 
Thy  emblem  is  the  brooding  Dove, 
Thy  witness  in  our  hearts  is  Love. 
*T  is  peace  on  Thee,  within,  to  rest 
With  faith  of  nursing  child  at  breast. 
Babe  asks  not  what,  or  whence  the  force, 
It  simply  prays  and  seeks  the  source. 

O  crush  our  pride  ere  life  is  done  ! 

452 

Great  Triune  God  !  all  thinkers  see 

Where'er  there  's  thought,  there  's  One  in  Three. 

Philosophy  doth  naught  else  teach 

Than  what  The  Faith  puts  in  our  reach. 

Our  conscious  self  Thou  leavest  free  ; 

Subconsciously,  we  live  in  Thee. 

Let  not  our  souls  lose  liberty, 

Self-severed  from  the  psychic  sea 
Whose  waves  roll  evermore  in  Thee  ! 


DaleMcton? 

©I  Bbammon  tbe  JEggptian  to 

"  I  pray  all  holy  angels  to  bestow  upon  me  and  thee 
the  unchanging  safeguard  of  true  conceptions;  and 
likewise  to  implant  in  us  forever  the  everlasting  truth, 
and  to  provide  for  us  a  participation  of  more  perfect 
conceptions  in  relation  to  the  Divine  Being,  in  whom 
the  most  blessed  consummation  of  all  things  good  is  set 
before  us." 


154 


The  modes  of  subconscious  evocation  and  spiritual  illumination 
used  in  the  sacred  (I.e.  secret)  rites  are  shown  in  Jamblichus,  "  On 
the  Egyptian  Mysteries  "  (translated  by  Dr.  Wilder).  Genuine  and 
counterfeit  arts  of  healing  (white  and  black  magic)  are  described 
in  Enaemoser's  "  History  of  Magic."  The  further  bibliography  of 
"  Surf  Lines  "  is  supplied  by  the  Bible,  read  here  attentively  but 
simply  as  an  epic,  as  one  reads  the  "Iliad,"  "  JEneid,"  "Divine 
Comedy,"  and  "  Paradise  Lost " ;  Eusebius'  "  Ecclesiastical  His 
tory";  Haidane's  "Pathway  to  Reality,"  Spencer's  "First  Prin 
ciples  of  Philosophy,"  and  the  works  of  Hegel,  Schopenhauer, 
A.  R.  Wallace,  and  Bergson. 


155 


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